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NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said yesterday that there are “shockingly” not enough Bahamian entrepreneurs working in the tourism space, revealing that the government is looking to create an authentic Bahamian product incubation center on Bay Street.
While delivering remarks at the opening of the Bahamas Development Bank’s (BDB) Financing Innovation Business Expo, Cooper, the Minister of Tourism, Aviation and Investment, said, “One of the things we want to do is encourage more entrepreneurship in tourism.
“There should be more entrepreneurs related to tourism.
“It’s shocking that we don’t see enough new entrepreneurs in the travel space.
“If there is one failure of the tourism industry, it is the failure to attract more Bahamians to actively participate in the industry.”
Cooper noted that one of the biggest complaints from visitors to the Bahamas is that there is not enough to do.
“There [are] there are not enough restaurants, cafes and authentic experiences,” Cooper said, noting that the revamped Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) will seek to ensure entrepreneurs are matched with industry stakeholders.
“We often brag about how cruise lines bring 20,000 guests to Prince George’s Pier.
“That’s 20,000 customers. We managed to attract just over seven million tourists (in 2019) but unfortunately we’re not capitalizing more on that,” Cooper said.
He added: “One of the things we will do is ensure that there is an authentic Bahamian product incubation center on Bay Street.
“When you get to Bay Street and travel east from East Street, you see destruction.
“We’re going to see if we can bring some life to that part of town and support entrepreneurs at the same time.”
Cooper said TDC was tasked with setting up the incubation center.
The minister said that support for entrepreneurship in the country should be more than talk.
He added: “We will pay more than lip service to entrepreneurship in this country.”
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