By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper spoke out against a video that he said featured a “disturbing and misleading mishmash” of past reports intended to harm the country’s reputation and deter tourists this Fall and winter season.

He said Bahamians created the video to suggest an impending travel advisory similar to the one issued by the United States earlier this year. 

“It is evident this was crafted for political purposes, not to inform, but to discredit our nation’s reputation and mislead prospective visitors. What is most troubling about this is that our intelligence suggests that this was done by Bahamians,” Mr Cooper said in the House of Assembly.

The video’s origins are unclear. However, it claims that The Bahamas is “quickly becoming the most violent nation per capita in the hemisphere under the Davis administration.”

Mr Cooper questioned the motives behind the video, saying: “What kind of Bahamian, for political or whatever reasons, is willing to hurt their own economy and the livelihoods of their very families for cheap political points?”

Twenty-one murders in January prompted the United States to issue a travel advisory urging citizens to exercise increased caution. Major US news outlets reported on this advisory, sparking concerns among tourists. Canada also issued a travel advisory, urging its citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution” in The Bahamas due to high crime rates, particularly in Freeport and Nassau.

Following the US advisory, the Ministry of Tourism launched a campaign to counter negative perceptions and encourage tourism, spending nearly $10 million on this effort. Mr Cooper underscored the importance of protecting the tourism industry as The Bahamas heads into a “record-breaking winter season” with strong booking numbers.

“To anyone who had a hand in creating or promoting or circulating this video, let me be clear: this is a fool’s errand,” he said. “Jeopardizing our number one industry for political gain is as reckless as it is irresponsible. It is, in effect, biting the hands that feed you. Tourism is the economic lifeblood of The Bahamas, and notwithstanding our best efforts to diversify, it will continue to be so in all of our lifetimes.

“It supports thousands of families, fuels our businesses, and sustains entire communities. For any political actor to attempt to shame the government of the day by undermining the single most important sector in our economy shows disregard for the welfare of Bahamian families and is, frankly, unpatriotic and un-Bahamian. When we take aim at the tourism industry, we hurt our entire nation.”

Mr Cooper also dismissed claims that new tourism projects don’t benefit Bahamians or that stopover visitors are declining, emphasising that foreign direct investment (FDI) is essential for economic growth.