From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Ministry of Tourism Opens the International Door for Bahamian Artists Through Co-Branding
By Gena Gibbs, BIS
Apr 16, 2015 - 3:46:16 PM
NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Top-notch local performances at
international standards, promoting cultural exchange, is the goal of the
Ministry of Tourism to boost the Bahamian economy. Dwight Armbrister, director of Religious
Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, said that co-branding in Religious Tourism music
concerts, as was done for the recent Easter Gospel Fest – with local and
international artists sharing the stage -- leads to benefits for local artists,
visiting artists, and the Bahamian economy.
Mr. Armbrister explained that the Religious Tourism department
focuses on groups coming into the country for faith-based initiatives – whether
conferences, retreats or music fests -- and provides facilities for them to
have a great experience. “That is our
focus and we are going after major groups that are having functions or
conferences around the world, to get them to focus on The Bahamas, to consider
the Bahamas for their conferences here.”
He said The Bahamas has all the facilities now that these
groups would normally look for when considering a destination for their
conferences.
“We have the sporting facility, the Stadium, there that can
seat quite a number. We have the room inventory here coming on stream as
Baha Mar very shortly, Junkanoo Beach very shortly, so we would have the room
inventory for them to be able to have larger groups in The Bahamas coming here
for their conferences,” said Mr. Armbrister.
“Baha Mar would have the break out room spaces, the
conference space to carry out or to do conferences. They have the quality
of the ambiance on the outside to do outdoor events, and so any number or any
kind of event now can be held here in The Bahamas.”
Mr. Armbrister led the team that organized the recent 2015
Easter Gospel Fest held on Clifford Park and said the event was the kind of
demonstration the Religious Tourism department seeks to encourage and develop
to provide a bridge for Bahamian Gospel artists to perform with other diverse international
religious cultural artists.In total, it was a good demonstration
that Bahamian and international artists can co-exist on the same stage.
“What is good is the fact that we got two foreign groups in,
but the Bahamian groups were just as or even better, in terms of their quality
of performance. They can give us the same. Sometimes you have to go
foreign to get what you need local and that is from the set up side, the
production side. We wanted to give Bahamian artists the same quality in
production and sound. I’m happy we accomplished that goal.”
Mr. Armbrister said research proves that tourists flock to
performances and enjoy patronizing events that feature local and international
artists.
“Americans follow brands, so when you put an American brand
on the same stage as a Bahamian brand, you’re co-branding, and at the end of
the day, they’re going to follow that brand to The Bahamas and then you get
what we have to offer here in The Bahamas,” said Mr. Armbrister “which actually
takes them by surprise many times.
Mr. Armbrister said that Americans coming in are strong brands
and millions know them: “We have only
thousands in our country, 350,000 and that’s one little county or less in the
United States. When we put on this program, which is going to air on international
networks, commencing in July, they will see that," said Mr.
Armbrister.
Mr. Armbrister said that when Bahamian artists are seen on
stage with American artists, it opens the door for Bahamian artists to walk
through and perform on the stage in the United States. "What makes artists
big is when artists are put on the TV, and when people see them, people begin
to demand them,” said Mr. Armbrister. “That
is what I am going after, to open the door to the international stage, and we
do that through co-branding."
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