In a town hall meeting, hosted at the Wellness Center in Palmetto Point on Thursday evening, March 13th, 2025, organized by the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC), senior manager Craig Mortimer and his team gathered to engage with local entrepreneurs in Eleuthera. The primary goal was to discuss the various opportunities available for business development within and related to the tourism industry and to identify specific needs unique to the island.
“The main purpose of tonight’s meeting really focused on us meeting the entrepreneurs in the tourism space in Eleuthera. The whole idea is to make them aware of the products and programs they can have opportunities with in Eleuthera with the TDC and to find out from them which areas there are gaps that the Tourism Development Corporation can address,” Mr. Mortimer explained in an interview following his presentation at the town hall.
“Sometimes we go to other islands and the needs, you may think it’s the same, but on the ground when you have a conversation with the individual from that island, you realize that the needs are different,” he added, acknowledging the complexity of doing business within the Family Islands, and the importance of tailored approaches.
The meeting on Thursday evening, said Mortimer, was planned to attract participants from both the northern and southern parts of Eleuthera, although it was evident, he said, that future meetings should be held in those areas separately to maximize attendance during upcoming visits to the island.
Ahead of the town hall meeting on Thursday, the TDC team visited with high schools across Eleuthera, with one final trip to the Harbour Island All Age School planned for the Friday, as they wrapped up their first visit. “We’ve touched bases with all of the high schools on the island,… to make those young people aware, so when they hear the word TDC or Tourism Development Corporation, they know what we are about,” shared Mortimer.
The main aim of the TDC he added was to raise awareness about their initiatives with the goal of expanding the middle class, and supporting entrepreneurs.
Among the key programs introduced was the “Home Sweet Home” initiative, which provides grant funding of up to $10,000 for homeowners looking to convert their properties into Airbnb rentals.
Additionally, the TDC team announced that they would launch a venture pitch competition in Eleuthera, akin to “Shark Tank,” in the next few months, where entrepreneurs could refine their business ideas through training at the University of Bahamas, before presenting their final pitches before a panel of judges, with cash prizes of $10,000, $8,000 and $6,000, awarded to the top three pitches. At least two different competitions would take place, said the team, “…One focused in the south and then the next one probably focused in the north or central. We’re going to work it out so that we could give everybody on the island an opportunity to try. And it will be the same amount of cash prizes – $10,000, $8,000, $6,000 for each competition throughout the island.”
Another significant offering was the GLO program, a partnership with the Bahamas Development Bank, which provides a combination of $5,000 in grant funding from the TDC, and loan funding up to $15,000 for new businesses under two years old, for a total available of up to $20,000.
The TDC, noted senior manager Mortimer, was focused on developing a robust tourism ecosystem by linking various sectors, such as agriculture and the arts, to tourism. By integrating local farmers into the supply chain for hotels and restaurants, they have aimed to create a sustainable model that benefits both producers and the tourism industry. Their “orange economy” initiative, he said, seeks to elevate local crafts, music, and art, making them integral to the tourist experience.
Mortimer added that the TDC was also committed to providing free training and resources for local entrepreneurs. They offer workshops (via Zoom) on business development, technology, marketing, and customer service, to equip residents with the skills needed to thrive in the tourism sector.
The TDC’s business registry initiative was also introduced to the evening’s attendees – entrepreneurs were encouraged to register their businesses and professional skill sets with the Corporation, so that they could be connected with both opportunities and resources.
“If you have a creative idea, a business idea and you have a dream… don’t let that dream stay with you until it becomes a nightmare. Come to us and let us help you realize that dream so it can become a reality,” encouraged Mr. Mortimer.
During the question and answer period of the town hall, audience members engaged with the TDC team – asking questions, highlighting issues, and suggesting programs. Bahamas Junior Tourism Minister, Orlandria Pinder of Palmetto Point, brought up the fact that there were no specific ‘tourism and hospitality’ courses offered at the high school level on the island, as there were in New Providence schools – suggesting a focus on introducing these courses to schools on the island. A local business owner, pointed to the high costs of shipping products to the rest of The Bahamas from the Family Islands, as compared to shipping from New Providence – and noted that with the highly subsidized local shipping network in the country, a free shipping program could be introduced for certified products – to level the playing field. This idea was well received by the TDC team, with assurances of looking into the idea’s feasibility.
Another business professional enquired about the accessibility of the TDC’s business registry, and whether it was available to the public – or just an internal resource of the Corporation. The team shared that the registry was not yet accessible by the public, but that this was the aim as they continued to develop it further. A number of other topics were discussed, including implementing standards for local livestock producers, so they could access larger markets, like the new Disney port – where all meats were said to be currently imported for food preparation. Attendees were also informed that the third cohort of the ‘Home Sweet Home’ program was set to open in April – and interested home owners and property owners in Eleuthera were encouraged to apply.
Entrepreneurs throughout Eleuthera were asked to reach out to the Tourism Development Corporation, by emailing – Product Manager: [email protected]; Business Development Manager: [email protected]; Linkages Manager: [email protected]; or the Corporate Desk: [email protected].
