The Bahamas is a island country in the West Atlantic Ocean consisting of 700 coral islands, of which 30 are inhabited.[1] The tourism industry is a significant sector of the Bahamian economy. In 2021, it was estimated that tourism accounted for 45% of the Bahamas's national gross domestic product.[2] In 2024, the Bahamas received over 11.22 million tourists, of which 1.7 million were foreign air arrivals.[3] Tourists from the United States make up approximately 85% of all international visitors to the Bahamas.[4]

Nassau, Bahamas with Atlantis Paradise Island

Destinations

Due to its archipelagic nature, the Bahamas has a decent selection of destinations for tourists. Some of the most popular tourist destinations in the Bahamas are Nassau, Grand Bahama, Exuma, and Bimini.[5]

Nassau is the capital of the country and is located on New Providence.[6] With a population of approximately 305,000, Nassau is the largest city in the Bahamas. By air, Nassau is served by Lynden Pindling International Airport.[7] Nassau also serves as a port for cruises and receives approximately 3.7 million cruise passengers annually.[8] The following is a list of attractions in Nassau:

  • Queen's Staircase: A historical landmark featuring 66 steps that were carved by hand between 1793 and 1794 by enslaved people.[9] The landmark serves as a reminder of the suffering endured by those who carved it.
  • Fort Fincastle: A historical fortress that is located at the top of Bennet's Hill that had also previously served as a lighthouse.[10]
  • Arawak Cay: An artificial island that is notable for its fish fry restaurants and was previously home to a street circuit.[11]
  • Baha Bay: A water park that features more than 30 attractions including a lazy river, two water coasters, and 24 water slides.[12]
  • Atlantis Paradise Island: A large resort that features five hotels, lagoons, waterfalls, golf course, casino, and the largest water park in the Caribbean region.[13]

Nassau also hosts a number of beaches, such as Cable Beach and Junkanoo Beach.[14]

Pig Beach, located in Exuma, also serves as a major tourist destination in the Bahamas. The pigs are feral domesticated pigs and their origin on the island is currently unknown.[15]

Andros is home to the Andros Barrier Reef, which is over 124 miles long and is the world's third largest barrier reef.[16] It is accessible by boat only, though snorkeling and diving are popular activities in the reef. Animals present in the reef include stingrays, sea turtles, dolphins, sharks, sponges, lobsters, tuna, and marlins. It is the only locale with more than one Nassau grouper congregation.[17]

Grand Bahama Island is also a popular tourist destination. It is served by Grand Bahama International Airport.[18] Lucayan National Park is located on the island and possesses one of the world's longest charted underwated cave systems.[19] Freeport is the second largest city in the country and has been referred to as its "industrial capital".[20] One of its attractions is Coral Vita, the world's first commercial coral farm that is located on land.[21]

Visa policy

Main article: Visa policy of the Bahamas
Visa policy of the Bahamas
  The Bahamas
  Visa-free - 8 months
  Visa-free - 3 months
  eVisa

The Bahamas requires an electronic visa from countries and territories, except those that have been granted visa free access. Foreign visitors from a visa-required country or territory travelling by cruise ships are not exempt from this visa requirement.[22] All persons entering the Bahamas are required to be in possession of a passport. Those who normally require a visa are exempted if they either possess a Canadian Immigration Record Form 1000 or a United States green card.[23]

Cruises

Cruises are the greatest contributor to the Bahamas's tourism sector. In 2023, the Bahamas welcomed 7.8 million cruise passengers.[24] A number of cruise lines operate cruises to the Bahamas, including Royal Caribbean International, Virgin Voyages, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises.[25] The Bahamas has approximately 10 ports spread across different islands.[26]

Visitor statistics

Most stopover visitors, those staying for 24 hours or more, arriving to the Bahamas were from the following countries of nationality:[27][28]

Country 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
 United States 835,925 354,555 1,473,543 1,304,551 1,145,072 1,182,518 1,169,250 1,129,454 1,086,719
 Canada 11,744 42,945 134,501 126,444 111,039 124,922 148,522 142,002 121,983
 United Kingdom 6,244 8,019 36,766 36,240 33,540 34,824 31,694 27,538 26,741
 Mexico 3,709 1,494 5,755 5,547 5,827 7,669 5,915 5,662 5,293
 Brazil 3,466 1,912 10,644 8,261 8,718 7,672 9,303 10,306 9,896
 Jamaica 3,007 1,382 6,496 6,883 6,980 6,980 7,004 7,136 7,925
 Colombia 1,807 717 2,631 2,536 2,234 3,613 3,145 3,348 4,364
 South Africa 1,746 943 2,307 2,046 1,813 1,816 2,028 1,772 1,550
 Germany 1,680 2,541 11,592 12,982 13,119 11,274 11,522 11,418 10,538
 France 1,673 4,106 18,923 17,550 16,748 15,173 15,017 16,550 15,699
  Switzerland 1,062 997 5,832 6,099 6,251 6,581 6,520 6,187 5,743
 Italy 1,055 2,000 13,730 13,579 13,403 12,699 10,913 11,275 10,528
 Argentina 902 991 5,046 6,602 7,398 7,474 5,611 5,519 5,830
Total 886,381 428,962 1,806,223 1,633,445 1,439,102 1,481,832 1,483,748 1,421,860 1,363,487

References

  1. ^ "Bahamas, The". Commonwealth. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  2. ^ Bethel, Brandon J.; Buravleva, Yana; Tang, Decai (17 May 2021). "Blue Economy and Blue Activities: Opportunities, Challenges, and Recommendations for The Bahamas". Water. 13 (10): 1399. Bibcode:2021Water..13.1399B. doi:10.3390/w13101399. ISSN 2073-4441.
  3. ^ Patty, Anita Johnson (6 February 2025). "The Bahamas Drives Unprecedented Tourism Growth Welcoming more than 11 Million Visitors in 2024". WATE-TV. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  4. ^ "Bahamas - Market Overview". www.trade.gov. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  5. ^ "21 Best Things to Do in the Bahamas — Snorkeling, Island Hopping, and Rum Sipping Included". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  6. ^ "Nassau, Bahamas | City of Winston-Salem, NC". www.cityofws.org. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  7. ^ "Airport In Focus: Lynden Pindling International Airport, Nassau | Aviation Week Network". aviationweek.com. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  8. ^ "Nassau Cruise Port". www.globalportsholding.com. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  9. ^ "DISCOVER CACIQUE | THE RENOVATED QUEEN'S STAIRCASE". Cacique International. 2024-09-24. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  10. ^ "Fort Fincastle |". Alluring World. 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  11. ^ "Nassau Arawak Cay". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  12. ^ "Baha Bay, The Water Park at Baha Mar - Points 2 Wanderlust". 2024-07-11. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  13. ^ Powell, Joshua. "Atlantis Bahamas Statistics: Resort History and Facts". Magic Guides. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  14. ^ "How to Spend Your Cruise Port Day in Nassau, The Bahamas". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  15. ^ M, Dr (2013-12-09). "The Tiny Swimming Pigs of Pig Beach | Deep Sea News". deepseanews.com. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  16. ^ "North & South Marine Parks". Bahamas National Trust. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  17. ^ "Snorkel Andros Great Barrier Reef | The Bahamas | She is Wanderlust Travel". She is Wanderlust. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  18. ^ "AOPA Airports". www.aopa.org. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  19. ^ "Lucayan National Park". Bahamas National Trust. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  20. ^ "History-Freeport". Fun Ashore. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  21. ^ UNEP (2019-06-07). "World's first land-based commercial coral farm opened for more resilient reefs". www.unep.org. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  22. ^ "Visa Information for Cruise Ship Passengers to The Bahamas – The Bahamas High Commission London". Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  23. ^ "Entry Requirements - Bahamas Immigration". 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  24. ^ "Bahamas: Record-Breaking Arrivals and New Developments - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". Cruise Industry News. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  25. ^ "Bahamas Cruises: All Ships and Ratings". www.cruisebahamas.com. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  26. ^ Joshi, Rishab (2022-03-24). "6 Major Ports in the Bahamas". Marine Insight. Retrieved 2025-02-09.
  27. ^ "Top Producing countries: Stopover Visitors 2021" (PDF). Tourist Today Bahamas Government. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  28. ^ "Frequently requested tourism statistics report" (PDF).
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_the_Bahamas
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