Bahamas Government and National Geographic Launch Bahamas Family Islands MapGuide and Website

Nassau, Bahamas, Nov. 13, 2015 - The Government of Bahamas through its Ministry of Tourism (MOT) in collaboration with the National Geographic Society (NGS) has created a co-branded MapGuide and interactive website of the Bahamas Family Islands, offering information that identifies natural, cultural and historic attractions that define the islands and their people.

This initiative is an integral part of The Bahamas Family Islands Geotourism Program and is made possible through a partnership between MOT, NGS, Compete Caribbean and the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank.

NGS worked closely with its partners and with local organizations, businesses and residents to map the best of the Bahamas Family Islands using their stories and nominations. The MapGuide and website celebrate and sustain what is most distinctive about the Bahamas Family Islands and promote travel to the region. The islands represent the less populated, yet equally intriguing, island gems of the Bahamas island chain.

These two unique online tools are expected to encourage sustainable economic development and promote long-term stewardship of the islands' distinctive communities, businesses, working landscapes and natural areas. Additionally, leveraging the latent potential of the tourism value chain in the Family Islands to act as a driver for overall small and medium enterprise (SME) development and sectoral linkages is a fundamental objective.

The Bahamas MapGuide and website initiative is the first of its kind in the Caribbean and joins 12 other international geotourism destinations that are currently managing co-branded websites and promoting wise destination stewardship.

Covering a melting pot of unique natural sites, cultures, history and geographies, The Bahamas Family Islands under the Geotourism Program are: The Abacos, Acklins, Andros, The Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera/Harbour Island and Spanish Wells, The Exumas, Grand Bahama (east and west ends), Inagua, Long Island, Mayaguana, Ragged Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.

LINK:	http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/13/bahamas-government-and-...
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