GBPA licensees benefit from cruise conference

GRAND Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) licensees say they have developed new contacts, and forged new business relationships, through their attendance at a major cruise industry event.

Some 20 Freeport businesses were present at the four-day SeaTrade Cruise Global (STCG) conference in Fort Lauderdale, which attracts cruise line executives, travel professionals, investors, vendors and suppliers from all parts of the cruise and maritime industry.

The GBPA’s licensees, representing Freeport’s tourism, industry, logistics and maritime sectors, both showcased their businesses and highlighted the ease of doing business and the benefits of investing in Freeport during the event from March 27-30.

Among the participants were executives from Freeport Harbour Company and Freeport Container Port, Pirates Cove Zipline & Waterpark, Elnet Maritime Services, H. Forbes Private Charters & Tours, Bahamas Distillery Company, Pelican Bay Hotel and Leslie’s Trade and Logistics Services.

Representatives from Elnet Maritime Services said they have made new contacts and laid the foundation for future business deals.

“Elnet Maritime attends SeaTrade Cruise Global annually, and this year we were excited to partner with the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Invest Grand Bahama,” said Ellie Hepburn, Elnet Maritime’s president and chief executive.

“It was a successful event for Elnet as we signed an exclusive cruise agreement with the world’s largest cruise port agency network, Inchcape Shipping Services, and we had the opportunity to network with cruise executives through our platinum partnership with the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association. The Bahamas took centre stage at the event, and we look forward to partnering with the GBPA again in 2024.”

Hadley Forbes Senior, president of H. Forbes Private Charters & Tours, said: “Our sincere thanks go out to the Grand Bahama Port Authority for inviting H. Forbes Charter Services to exhibit at SeaTrade Global. Mrs Dames and her team did an outstanding job organising the event, and the networking opportunities were exceptional. Thank you again for the opportunity to partner with you and for a wonderful experience.”

Pirates Cove Zipline & Waterpark also had a successful experience at the event. David Wallace, its president and general manager, said: “There was a lot of interest in our adventure tourism offerings, and we are excited about the potential for growth in this sector.

The Grand Bahama Port Authority has given us an opportunity through SeaTrade to meet the world and the major players within the maritime and cruise industry. Let’s do it together.”

Sarah St George, the GBPA’s vice-chairman, said: “We are thrilled with the success of our participation at the 2023 SeaTrade Cruise Global event. It allowed us to showcase the many investment opportunities existing in Freeport, and to highlight the significant progress we’ve made in recent years in terms of business expansion, infrastructure development, and our focus on creating a more sustainable tourism economy for the future.

“It was great to have our licensees with us, showcasing the potential of Freeport as a premier investment destination, and we are confident that it will lead to new partnerships and opportunities for our licensees.”

Ian Rolle, the GBPA’s president, said: “The success of this event is a testament to the potential of Freeport as a destination for investment and business growth. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase our city and the many talented entrepreneurs who call it home.”

The GBPA and its licensees have already begun discussions on their participation in the 2024 event, which is due to be held from April 8-11 at the Miami Beach Convention Centre “For 2024, we plan to have an entire pavilion with even more licensees participating and doing so in tandem with the Ministry of Tourism,” said Derek Newbold, chief investment officer at the GBPA. “Following a post-mortem of the event, we’ve come away with some excellent ideas to ensure an even more extraordinary showcasing of Grand Bahama for next year.”

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