Bahamas Information Services Updates
SIDS closed out with a taste of Bahamian culture
By Lindsay Thompson, BIS
Feb 22, 2014 - 1:16:45 AM

Top: Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe, centre, presents paintings by Bahamian artists of local scenery to Taleb Rifal, Secretary General, United Nations World Tourism Organisation, left and Hugh Riley, Secretary General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, right; Bottom left: Puzzle performs; and right: Junkanoo rush out. Photos: Derek Smith

NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Small Island Developing States conference closed out Thursday with presentations of Bahamian art, music and Junkanoo rush-out at the Melia Nassau Beach Resort on Cable Beach. The conference was held February 19 to 20, 2014 under the theme: “Tourism as Key Sector for Development in Island States”.

The conference addressed wide-ranging issues for island destinations from competitiveness and sustainability perspectives to regional integration, air connectivity to identifying specific challenges and vulnerabilities, amongst other issues. Prime Minister Perry Christie delivered the keynote address at the opening ceremony on Wednesday.

Minister of Tourism Obie Wilchcombe thanked the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the Inter-American Development Bank, the United Nations Environment Programme and other partners for facilitating the conference, which was attended by some 250 delegates.

At the closing session, he presented paintings by Bahamian artists of local scenery to Taleb Rifal, Secretary General, United Nations World Tourism Organisation and Hugh Riley, Secretary General and CEO of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation. Delegates were then feted to a farewell reception at the Melia poolside, comprising Bahamian cuisine, entertainment by the Spank Band featuring Puzzle and a Junkanoo Rush-out by Colours.

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