ABACO TOURIST OFFICE UPDATE
by Wynsome Ferguson
Laurel Cardone, a travel writer from Modern Bride, visited Abaco 1st-3rd December 1997. Ms Cardone came to Abaco to familiarise herself with honeymooner-friendly resorts as she is planning a feature story on the Out Islands for the magazine's June/July issue. While in Abaco she visited Abaco Beach Resort, Hope Town Hideaways and Treasure Cay Beach Hotel. These hotels will be featured in her story.
The annual Christmas Boat Parade was held in the main harbour of Marsh Harbour on 11th December. Participating in this event were visiting boaters as well as local Abaconians. The boats were nicely decorated and paraded through the harbour. Both visitors and locals came out to view the parade. The event ended with a magnificent fireworks display.
This Office assisted Mr Bob Davis, who is associated with Hank Parker of Out Door Magazine, with getting a bond from customs. Bob and his team came to Abaco to do a photo shoot featuring bonefishing in Abaco without a customs approval. The Customs Department was very accommodating and recommended that in future a customs bond be obtained. They fished from 14th-16th December assisted by O'Donnell McIntosh, a local bonefish guide.
Abaco Beach Resort hosted the 3rd Leg of the annual Bahamas Wahoo Championship from 7th-10th January. In spite of the bad weather, there was a total of 11 boats that participated in this event, attracting some 60 people. All the boats that participated in this tournament were first-timers. According to Terry Curry of the Abaco Beach resort, the fishermen and their guests really enjoyed their stay and were impressed with the Abacos. As a result, three of the boats signed up for two other tournaments later this year and one of the boats will be staying at its owners' property for the next six months.
The Abaco community is pleased and excited that Abaconians have made the finals for this year's prestigious Cacique Awards. They are Diane Claridge-Balcomb and her husband Ken in the category of Ecotourism, and Mrs Lois Albury of the Man-O-War Sail Shop for Retail. The Abaco community wishes them well and hope they end up as winners.
Mr Michael Boehmer, a travel writer of GQ Magazine of Germany, and party were in Abaco to familiarise themselves with our island as they are planning to feature The Bahamas in their magazine. According to Mr Boehmer, this magazine has only been in Germany for the past four months. Mr Boehmer and party arrived in Abaco on 11th January and stayed until Tuesday 13th. They had an opportunity to visit most of the main settlements and resorts in Abaco.
Bahamahost sessions were held in Sandy Point from 19th-30 January. The programme is designed to fortify and focus Bahamian residents' knowledge of their own heritage to better assist and entertain visitors and tourists. With the coming of Disney Cruise Line to Castaway Cay, the programme was well-timed and valuable to prospective employees.
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