Bahamas Partners With Sun N' Fun

Plans to Hold Airshow & Exhibition in Grand Bahama in 2016

LAKELAND, Florida – April 28, 2015 - Deputy Director General of Tourism Ellison "Tommy" Thompson recently announced the newest partnership for the Islands of The Bahamas to thousands attending the Sun n Fun International Fly In and Exhibition in Lakeland, Florida. Making the announcement of behalf of the Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe and during The Bahamas’ sponsorship of the event’s airshow (which was also broadcast live on radio), Thompson said, “The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BMOT) is extremely pleased with its relationship with the executives of Sun n Fun and is further cementing this relationship with a joint partnership, which will result in the first Sun n Fun Bahamas Airshow and Exhibition, in Freeport, Grand Bahama, in April 2016. The Bahamas’ Airshow and Exhibition is expected to attract hundreds of pilots, aviation enthusiasts and media professionals to Grand Bahama Island. “Aviation is an incredibly important industry, and activity for The Bahamas, which has some 700 islands and multiple airports.   The government is doing what it can to support this type of ventures and in making it easy to fly in and around our islands, especially for pilots in the USA, a country whose proximity to us, is a mere 55 miles away. “The BMOT has been participating in the Sun n Fun show now for more than 10 years, which has proven economically beneficial, particularly for hoteliers and businesses in The Bahamas’ Family Islands," Mr. Thompson said. “With our Fly-In initiatives, led by our Fly-In Ambassadors, who are most knowledgeable about flying into The Bahamas and are some of the most skilled and seasoned pilots in the United States, we have seen an impressive growth for visitors to The Bahamas.   Since the introduction of our first light sport and experimental aircraft began in 2010 with 18 aircrafts, we now have as many as 70 varied airplanes participating in our Fly-Ins." Now in its 41st year, the Sun N' Fun International Fly In and Exhibition is the second largest aviation show in the United States, following the EAA Air Venture Oshkosh Show. The week-long Fly In and Exhibition attracted more than a quarter of a million persons and showcased some 4,000 aircrafts, ranging from homebuilt and light sport airplanes to classic War birds and USAF Thunderbirds. More than 500 businesses including hoteliers from The Bahamas, Fixed Based Operators executives and Bahamas preferred Florida based Fixed Based Operators also exhibited at the show.