With hundreds of miles of pristine beaches that line azure seas, tourism is The Bahamas largest industry, which generates about $1.5 billion per year.
Bahamas tourism industry had lucky times and black days.
The tourism industry began in the mid-19th century with government support for the construction of hotels and subsidised steamship service. Tourism once again blossomed in the 1920s when Prohibition brought well-to-do American tourists to the islands.
Minister of Tourism Cornelius A. Smith in his interview to “The Washington Times” has reported that The Bahamas has been a leader in the tourism sector for many years but during the mid-’70s to the early ’90s, tourism in the Bahamas experienced a downturn. By the early ’90s our tourism product was worn out, tired and was in need of capital investment”.
When Sun International decided to invest in Paradise Island in 1993, tourism got the bolster that it needed. With the redevelopment of the Atlantis Resort the bahamas tourism industry began to grow up. A. Smith also sees the opportunities for attracting tourists in developing of unexplored islands. He wants to show to the foreigners different Bahamas.
So the tourism industry plays a most important role in the Bahamian economy and the hotel sector is a major one, that’s why most investments go on reconstruction of old hotels and building of new ones.
