Director General Jibrilu Markets The Bahamas In Japan

Director General of Tourism Joy Jibrilu recently made a noteworthy trip to Japan to aggressively market The Islands Of The Bahamas.

Jibrilu, who was among 11 CARICOM counterparts, was invited by the Japanese Government to speak with high level tourism officials.

“The objective was to see how we could increase tourism between our two countries,” she said. “It was recognized in Japan that the Caribbean is a desirable destination but they know very little about us and so this was such an incredible opportunity to showcase The Bahamas at its best,” she said.

The Director General said The Islands Of The Bahamas were an easy sell.

“We have diversity, connectivity because you can fly to New York and straight to Japan and we have routes that make it feasible,” she said.

In several days, Minister of Tourism and Aviation Dionisio D’Aguilar will also lead a team to China consisting of other tourism stakeholders, such as Atlantis, Baha Mar, The Pointe and the Out Islands Promotion Board. 

Jibrilu says The Islands Of The Bahamas are looking to lure more tourists from Asia.

“Travel from Asia is perhaps the highest from anywhere in the world,” she said.     “Air Canada has come on board with us as well. We will also have meetings with top tier media to display a Destination Bahamas.”

Air arrivals to The Islands Of The Bahamas are up by some 15 percent, according to tourism officials.  However, Jibrilu said the destination is not resting on its laurels.

“Numbers are high but it is now incumbent on us to do everything we can to keep these numbers where they are and to keep these numbers going in the right direction,” she said.