EMIRATES has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Public Service of The Bahamas to explore joint initiatives to promote tourism to the island nation.

The MoU was signed by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates Group chairman and chief executive, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Public Service, The Bahamas Fred Mitchell at the Emirates Group Headquarters in Dubai.

Also present at the meeting were Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ chief commercial officer; Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ senior VP commercial operations for the Americas; and HE Tony Joudi, ambassador of The Bahamas to the UAE.

HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum said: “Across the world, Emirates plays a key role in boosting tourism to various destinations by providing travellers with reliable, convenient and comfortable flight options for travel. We are delighted to work with The Bahamas to strengthen transport links and to support the country to welcome tourists from around the world. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership.”

Mr Mitchell said: “We are happy to be working together with Emirates to promote The Bahamas as a destination of choice for travellers from across the world. The Bahamas is truly an unmatched destination offering a wide variety of leisure experiences that can appeal to every visitor. We are grateful to the support offered by Emirates and we look forward to welcoming tourists from the UAE and other global markets to The Bahamas.”

Through the MoU, Emirates will develop initiatives to promote The Bahamas as a tourism destination to customers across its global network, including developing enhanced connectivity to Lynden Pindling International Airport from American gateways through its codeshare and interline partners.

Additionally, through its tour operating arm Emirates Holidays, the airline is also making available to customers and its travel retail partners across its markets, a range of travel packages, including hotels and flights to The Bahamas.

Currently Emirates customers can connect to the Nassau airport on codeshare flights with JetBlue from four major US airports including Boston (BOS), Newark (EWR), New York (JFK) and Orlando (MCO). Customers can also opt to fly through Toronto on interline flights with Air Canada to Nassau and George Town. Emirates operates a modern fleet of Boeing 777 and Airbus A380 aircraft to a network of more than 120 destinations across six continents.