Although North America still remains the biggest customer base for the tourism industry in The Bahamas, practitioners and policy makers are also looking to tap other markets, such as Latin America and Asia.
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BCFA president Philip Simon (left) presents Ambassador Yuan Guisen with the commemorative book of The Bahamas. (BCFA Photo)

Bridging cultural diversity between The Bahamas and China through friendship and harmony, the Bahamas China Friendship Association (BCFA) paid a courtesy call on Yuan Guisen, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to The Bahamas, January 13, 2014, at his Eastern Road residence.

The BCFA also said farewell to the outgoing counsellor, Zhai Xingfu, and gave him a parting gift to remember The Bahamas.

BCFA presented him with a locally crafted woodcarving of a Bahamian Parrot made from native Madeira trees.

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OLDWICK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating to “a” from “a-” of RoyalStar Assurance Limited (RSA) (Nassau, Bahamas). The outlook for both ratings is stable.

The rating upgrades reflect RSA’s consistent operating and overall profitability, long-term maintenance of its excellent risk-based capitalization levels and its proven risk management strategies. RSA’s risk management strategies include a prudent underwriting philosophy, which has resulted in a resilient underwriting performance that places the company among the top performers in the Caribbean region.

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The Ministry of Agriculture has drawn up a 20-year plan for the sector in a bid to reduce The Bahamas’ reliance on imports and cut the country’s $100-billion annual food bill.

The Ministry wants to double the number of people employed in the sector and raise the current $75-$80-million output of the domestic agricultural industry to $250 million by 2015.

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Bolstered by multi-billion dollar projects, such as the Baha Mar megaresort on Cable Beach, coming onstream this year, Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe says he is optimistic that 2014 will be a bumper year for tourism.
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Founders of the Bahamas Rum Festival have announced plans for the food, beverage and culture festival to be held next month at Fort Charlotte. Watch a ZNS Network news report of the launch here.
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The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association has named president and managing director of Kerzner International Bahamas George Markantonis Hotelier of the Year. Watch an interview with Markantonis here.
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Prime Minister Perry Christie says the government plans to continue to achieve fiscal prudence in 2014, while stimulating the economy to create thousands of new jobs.
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Jamaican track star Usain Bolt was in The Bahamas this week for the renaming of a section of the old West Bay Street in the front of SuperClubs Breezes resort to Breezes Lane. Click here to see the photos. (BIS Photos)

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Energy sector reform is “imperative for attracting new business” according to Minister of Environment & Housing Kendred Dorsett, who revealed this week that negotiations with successful bidders for the government’s new power generation project could begin as early as next month.

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