Why it Rates: This week, government officials will be meeting to see how a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the two countries can become a formal contract that outlines and formalizes Saudi investment into The Bahamas’ tourism industry. — Laurie Baratti, TravelPulse Associate Writer
The Bahamas Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, The Honourable I. Chester Cooper, is leading a delegation of tourism officials in Saudi Arabia for a three-day meeting culminating with the signing of a contract worth millions of dollars with the Saudi Fund for Development for the enhancement of economic tourism in The Bahamas.
Deputy Prime Minister Cooper said that the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism has been in constant bilateral contact with officials from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the past few years.
He said that “our continued communication led to both countries signing a Memorandum of Understanding last year, and this trip will culminate in the cementing of the agreement through the signing of a contract for the construction of innovative businesses incubator centres around our island archipelago.”
The Deputy Prime minister will visit Riyadh to meet His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb Minister of Tourism and then tour King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. This was formerly known by the Saudi Arabian National Centre for Science and Technology.
The Deputy Premier added, “The Bahamas are developing a unified strategy for sharing mutual tourism investment opportunities along with day-to-day expertise in initiatives such as sustainable tourism practices and management of tourism facilities.