By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister Obie Wilchcombe said yesterday the Grand Lucayan Resort Freeport was in talks with the government about further expansion and reopening sections of the property.

Minister Wilchcombe told Tribune Business that the government was in ‘good talks’ with the troubled property owned by the Hong Kong-based conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa.

“I am able to say that they are talking to us about further expansion. They are talking to us about reopening some of the divisions that are closed now. They are also talking with us about new activities, so we are in good talks with them right now and also as it relates to airlift.”

The Grand Lucayan stunned many in the hotel/tourism industry two months ago by withdrawing from the Grand Bahama Island Tourist Board. Since then the Grand Lucayan has been locked in serious negotiations with the government on the way forward.

Wilchcombe said that his ministry was working on generating additional airlift to Grand Bahama and revealed that he planned to travel to Panama next week with the hope of attracting some more Latin America business.

“I’m hoping to be able to sit down with the airlines that provide services now to talk about some Latin American business. We are also working on new airlift for Grand Bahama. It doesn’t have airlift from New York now. We want more business from the Florida market as well. We have to go after the two markets that serviced us well, whether it’s Florida and or New York but at the same time we are reaching out to the Latin American market. We are going across the pond to the UK and of course Asia,” said Mr Wilchcombe.