The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort is aiming to add more local offerings to its property and provide greater economic benefits to Bahamian businesses and entrepreneurs.
“We are embracing everything Bahamian” says Howard Karawan, the resort’s president and managing director. The resort has already engaged the local art and cultural community and is partnering with some 20-30 Bahamian businesses to add more local flavor to the property, describing it as a “win-win” for all.
“We can contribute so much more to this community by creating entrepreneurs who will do business with us and that is what our mission is right now,” said Mr Karawan during a recent tour of the property with Prime Minister Hubert Minnis.
“You can’t just keep building new buildings and new pools. The market sometimes can’t handle that. Tourism has changed. People don’t just want pretty new hotel rooms, they want real, indigenous, flavorful and soulful experiences.”
Atlantis has already announced its partnership with Sip Sip Restaurant and will add other local offerings such as Frankie Gone Bananas, Pirates Republic and McKenzie’s Fresh Fish and Conch.
“I think that as business people we owe it to our local communities to engage and have a shared purpose because if we are truly going to be successful so so will the local community. Fortunately Atlantis and the local community that we give back to had a common cause which is a shared mission of really creating a flourishing Bahamian future. What that means is partnering at a variety of levels,” said Mr Karawan.
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