The Bahamas Reinforces Commitment To Agents

The Bahamas Tourist Office’s Canadian office has unveiled its new home, an opening that comes at a particularly memorable time for the Bahamas, which this year is marking 50 years of independence with ongoing festivities.

The tourist office welcomed travel industry personnel to its new Toronto office Monday, providing them with tours of the spacious new setup.

The office is found where busy Eglinton Ave. intersects Yonge St., the city’s main thoroughfare.

The previous office was considerably more distant from downtown Toronto.

Some tourist boards have closed their physical offices in this country in recent years, opting to have their staff work entirely from home, but Bahamian officials on hand for the Toronto event said they were determined to have an actual office.

“It’s important for us to have boots on the ground,” said Latia Duncombe, director general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation.

Those in Bahamian tourism appreciate the opportunity to have face-to-face contact with their industry colleagues, she said.

The new office is next to the newly opened Bahamian consulate in Toronto.

It is also close to the downtown core and at a subway station.

Paul Strachan, director of global communications for the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, said he and his colleagues are “absolutely” looking forward to hosting others in the travel industry in their new setup.

“We will be here to serve travel agents,” he said.

Among those who attended Monday’s event was Eric Rodriguez of Sunwing, who welcomed the new arrangement, saying, “I think it’s important to have a presence.”

The new office is at 2300 Yonge, unit 1900A.

In The Photo

Seen here, from l to r, are Steven Johnson, director of the Bahamas Tourist Office’s Canadian office; Valery Brown-Alce, the Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation”s executive director of global sales; Duncombe; and Strachan.