George Markantonis, president and managing director of the multi-billion dollar Atlantis Paradise Island resort, shared some of the secrets of the resort’s success at an investment forum being held in Freeport this week.

Addressing potential investors at the Bahamas International Investment and Business Forum (BIIBF), Markantonis said: “Nothing is too big if you have the right mindset. There is a lot of money to be made in tourism.”

Atlantis, which provides 81,120 jobs and has injected $132 million into the local economy, celebrates 20 years in The Bahamas this year.

The resort was constructed in phases with the second phase opening in 1998, and the third 2007.

Markantonis considers this staggered development as key to its success, calling it a “well thought out and unique” project.

“It evolves every year and it reinvents itself every year. [The phased approach] gave us time to develop a brand.”

He also encouraged hoteliers to offer something different and target new markets saying: “You need a plan that appeals to aspirational travellers and the plan needs to be a creative one. You have to build new markets if you do not want to cannibalize [the hotel industry].”

cmorris@dupuch.com