By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ACTING Prime Minister Chester Cooper expects The Bahamas to attract 12 million visitors this year.

He said the Tourism Development Corporation fund should get about $24m, given that a tourism levy fee of $2 is charged to every visitor to the country.

He said the money would go directly to small business development in the tourism industry.

Mr Cooper said surveys from guests indicated that there was not enough to see and do in the country.

 “We want Bahamians to own the tourism industry,” he said. “If you think about ownership of the industry, by and large, we do have some small resorts that are Bahamian-owned boutique resorts. The major large resorts in our country are not owned by Bahamians.

“And while we have Flamingo Air and Western Air servicing our islands, the major airlines traveling to our country are not owned by Bahamians.”

Mr Cooper said the country is 10 percent ahead of 2023 in terms of arrivals, and Grand Bahama has experienced 14 percent growth in air arrivals.

“We are working right now to consolidate all the fragments that support small businesses,” he said. “And this is not new, but it will happen because we have the Small Business Development Center, the Bahamas Development Bank, and the Department of Inland Revenue for business license and the Venture Fund, and leading this is the TDC, along with BAIC.

“For too long you have to move all around the place making six or seven different applications for funding small businesses, for business plans, and we are looking to see how we can consolidate our approach of providing support. And this pilot initiative will be led by Grand Bahama.”

On Thursday, the development corporation launched a 50/50 pitch competition in Grand Bahama, awarding about $32,000 to help new start-up businesses. Nine entrepreneurs from Grand Bahama and Abaco competed, with the top five participants receiving funds of $10,000, $8,000, $6,000, $5,000, and $4,000.   

Ostia Thomas of Freeport Guide and Glide won the pitch competition and received the top award of $10,000. She offers electric scooter tours to visitors. 

Taria Lundy of Pedals Pirates Tours was second and received $8,000; Krishona Minnis, of KM Watersports was third and received $6,000; Jordy Knowles, an APP creator, was fourth and received $5,000; Shanell Taylor, of Island Diva Design, was fifth and received $4,000.