Abaco breached the 300,000 visitor mark for the first time in its history during 2017, ranking only behind Nassau for the number of tourists attracted to The Bahamas.

Michael Pintard, pictured, minister of agriculture and marine resources, told the 15th annual Abaco Business Outlook conference that it is already benefiting from the Ministry of Tourism's 16-island destination strategy that seeks to boost Out Island visibility.

"Abaco's can-do, pioneering spirit has moved this island to the forefront of The Bahamas tourism identity. Abaco rocks, but Abaconians are not people to rest on their laurels. They have set their sights on loftier goals. Abaco is reaching for the stars. Abaco aims to be nothing less than world class," Mr Pintard said.

The Ministry of Tourism's new marketing strategy showcases individual island destinations to The Bahamas' major markets across all mediums, including print, television, radio and social media.

Under the conference theme, Creating a World Class Abaco, Mr Pintard challenged Abaconians to examine their key assets and find ways to break into niche markets.

"To create a world class Abaco, Abaconians, what you will need to do is take a critical look at each of your key assets, and ask the question: 'How can we take our natural assets and tourism product offerings to the next level?'" he added.

Mr Pintard suggested tours and excursions; family-oriented attractions; history/cultural tours; art tours; and a bigger focus on sports as ways that Abaconians can take their tourism product to the next level.

"The Ministry of Tourism is committed to providing the marketing support that Abaco needs to become world-class," he said. "The Ministry will continue to organize familiarisation trips for media and social influencers to come down to Abaco to explore the island's diverse tourism offerings, and to tell the rich stories of Abaco that will create a buzz in the tourism marketplace. The Ministry of Tourism will seek out elite international brands to collaborate with to bring exposure to Abaco," he said.

Mr Pintard added that while guests appreciated infrastructure and amenities, The Bahamas and the Abacos had to separate themselves from rival destinations through customer service.

"Excellent service that anticipates and exceeds the expectation of the guests will take Abaco to world-class, and excellent service is built on the foundation of ongoing training," he added. "Management everywhere in Abaco, I urge you to offer ongoing customer service training to your staff. The Ministry of Tourism has an extensive education and training department that can assist you with all your training needs."