Commissioner of the Bahamas National Festival Commission Paul Major addresses the media while giving a full report on Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival.
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Nassau, Bahamas - Officials of the Bahamas National Festival Commission say Bahamas
Junkanoo Carnival was “undoubtedly a success” and they are already preparing a
marketing strategy to lure thousands of tourists for the spring cultural
extravaganza
During a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister,
Chairman of the Bahamas National Festival Commission Paul Major reported that a
total of 115,000 people attended the two-weekend event in Grand Bahama and New
Providence.
He credited the success to a strong marketing effort with the help
of the Ministry of Tourism’s South Florida billboard advertising campaign,
which created 42 million adult ad impressions.
“A lot of money had to be spent to get the word out and thanks to
assistance from the Ministry of Tourism we were able to take out a nine –week
international ad campaign through online advertising, satellite and terrestrial
radio and outdoor advertising,” Mr. Major explained.
“It took Trinidad and Barbados 10-15 years to get the kind of response
that we got in our first year. It promises to be bigger and better in the
future years I have no doubt about that.”
The festival kick off in Grand Bahama held on April 17 and 18 at
Taino Beach saw 30,000 patrons.
“The vendors ran out of food,” Mr. Major said. “ We saw lots of
tourists because there were a number of ships in and then Sunwing Resorts
bussed tourists to the site.”
When the main event began in New Providence on May 7 at Arawak Cay
with Junkamania, there were 10,000 attendees.
On May 8, was the Music Masters Concert held at Clifford Park.
That event, which featured Trinidadian headliner Machel Montano,
saw 50,000 people.
Music Masters was also a Bahamian competition between nine local
artists. In the end, local artist Sammy Star won $50,000 and a contract with
Sony Entertainment for a promotional partnership.
Other guest artists that performed during Bahamas Junkanoo
Carnival included Haitian Band Djakout #1, Latin Bands- Chocquibtown, Columbia
Manolition su Trabuco, Cuba and Trinidadian artists Bunji Garlin and Alison
Hinds.
Local Grammy Award winner
Baha Men also performed at the Music Masters concert.
Bahamians definitely got into the spirit of Carnival on May 9 with
the Road Fever march that saw 5,000 participants from 29 different Carnival
companies.
This capped off with a closing concert held on May 9 at Arawak
Cay, which featured more Bahamian artists and saw 15,000 participants.
According to officials, tourists spent $1.7 million in New
Providence and $2.8 million in Grand Bahama.
“All the tourists who attended said they had a very positive
experience. We plan to go to the market late summer, early fall so we can tell
people what we are selling so that they can make plans to visit The Bahamas,”
Mr. Major said.
Hundreds of journalists also visited The Bahamas for Bahamas
Junkanoo Carnival and had positive feedback.
“I saw a lot of feedback from international press who said they
had a wonderful time and would definitely be coming back. There are also a
number of inquiries for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival and it has generated
interests from agencies that are researching The Bahamas,” Mr. Major said.
The proposed dates for Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival 2016 are April
15-16 in Grand Bahama and May 5-7 for the finale weekend in New Providence.
