Tourism

With its great airport and harbour, positive Government support and the leadership of GBPA, Freeport's tourism sector has seen a flurry of new development during the new millennium, with investors coming to build some of the largest and most spectacular projects anywhere in the world.
Hutchison Whampoa has invested $350 million to create one of the most magnificent vacation resorts in all the Caribbean, Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort. Set on 372 acres on one of the island's most beautiful beaches, this vacation paradise offers its guests every possible amenity and employs 1,400 people, most of them native Bahamian.

Visitors to Grand Bahama Island have a choice of many other fine accommodations, from charming waterfront hotels to deluxe modern resorts, all offering gracious service, genuine hospitality and a commitment to making their stay as enjoyable as possible.
With two-thirds of the island undeveloped, adventurers will find gorgeous beaches, natural wonders including one of the world's largest underwater cave systems, three national parks, more than 200 species of birds and an incredible resource of marine life. There are small towns that seem to sleep in time, and they hide a history unlike any other in the Caribbean.

Tour operators are sure to please travelers by including a visit to "The Dolphin Experience" at Sanctuary Bay, where guests can swim with 17 dolphins, and leaving time for duty free shopping at Port Lucaya Marketplace, the International Bazaar and The Bahamas' Arts & Crafts Straw Market.

Not only do vacationers appreciate the great opportunities of Grand Bahama Island, but resort developers and film producers do as well. In the past 10 years, more than $1 billion has been invested in new resort development, and with tourism demand growing, opportunities for the savvy investor are greater than ever. The Bahamas Studio at Gold Rock Creek in Grand Bahama has also built what is considered to be the largest open water tank in the western hemisphere. It allows for large-scale productions for both feature films and episodic television and commercial productions. Disney took advantage of Grand Bahama's offerings for the record-breaking "Pirates of the Caribean" film production.

Whether travel to Freeport is by air or sea, the going is easy. Florida is only 30 minutes away by commuter flight. The privately-owned Grand Bahama International Airport has a modern 200,000 square-foot terminal, U.S. pre-clearance, and its 11,000-foot runway can accept the largest commercial aircraft. With its new passenger terminals and centralized check-in facillities ideal for home porting, the Lucayan Harbour Cruise Facility provides the most modern cruise facilities in the region, including:

• Sheltered staging areas for passenger pick-up and drop-off.
• A retail shopping complex.
• Excursion and ground transportation services.
• Cruise ship terminals able to handle the largest passenger vessels.

Freeport offers a selection of outstanding private marinas that can accommodate yachts up to 190-feet in length.Many companies have found the opportunities for investment and the advantages of operating from Freeport simply compelling. Those who choose Freeport to base their business will see at first hand why many so many others have followed a similar path