Bahamas And Rhode Island Talking Tourism

The Bahamas and Rhode Island are discussing the synergies between the two and how they can benefit and learn from each other’s tourism industries.
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The Bahamas and the US State of Rhode Island are engaged in discussions to determine where synergies lie between the two and determine how best they can learn from the other’s tourism experience.

According to Dan O’Connor, the chief of political, economic and public affairs at the American Embassy, these ongoing discussions are a part of the Rhode Island-Bahamas State Partnership Programme.

Mr. O’Connor told The Tribune that the partnership is going very well, with plans for additional training exercises and exchange programmes in the works. He further said that there have been discussions between the Bahamas and Rhode Island on the development of the tourism industry.

He explained that Rhode Island has done a lot of work to repackage its tourism industry and cruise market very similarly to what the Bahamas has done. Therefore, there are great possibilities for tourist-related business opportunities. Mr. O’Connor added that the plans may also be in the works for the Ministry of Tourism to take a delegation to Rhode Island, possibly this summer, on a fact-finding mission.

The State Partnership Programme (SPP) evolved from the Joint Contact Team Programme in 1993. The Joint Contact Team Programme was created with the intent of reaching out to former Warsaw Pact countries. Today the SPP brings together US states and territories and partner nations through a wide range of military, civil-military and civil activities using the National Guard as the conduit and force provider.

The National Guard brings a unique dual Federal and state mission and citizen-soldier character to the security cooperation mix. There are 5 partnerships worldwide today. According to the Rhode Island National Guard’s website, the SPP formally came into being when representatives from the Bahamas government were received by the Adjutant General for Rhode Island, Brigadier General John Enright, in December, 2005.

The relationship was further cemented when a senior leader delegation from Rhode Island visited the GCOB in January 2006. During this visit, the Rhode Island delegation and their counterparts from different Bahamian ministries and agencies laid the groundwork for a mutually beneficial relationship between Rhode Island and the GCOB.

Source: The Tribune
  
  

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