Above: the Bahamas

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Bahamas has appointed Joy Ann Jibrilu as the country’s new director of tourism, Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe announced on Sunday.

Jibrilu will succeed 30-year industry veteran David Johnson, who will become the new Chief Executive Officer of the Hotel Corporation of the Bahamas, which is currently transitioning to the Tourism Development Corporation.

In a statement, the Bahamian government said what it described as an “organizational restructuring” came “amid the Ministry’s aggressive marketing campaign to reposition the Ministry to be more responsive to increased global demands and changing trends within the global tourism market to increase airlift, inventory, new tourism plants and room nights in The Bahamas.”

Jibrilu has been serving as the director of the Bahamas Investment Authority within the office of Prime Minister Perry Christie.

The government said she was “instrumental in the invigoration of the tourism plant, brand and product” in that role, mentioning projects including Resorts World Bimini, the Sunwing joint venture in Grand Bahama, the Cove Eleuthera project and the Club Med in San Salvador, among others.

The Bahamas said Jibrilu, a trained barrister, would be supported by professionals including Ellison “Tommy” Thompson, the Deputy Director General of Tourism who will assume responsibilities for global marketing.

“With this organizational restructuring, new tourism plants and brands, an innovative marketing strategy including sports and religious tourism in addition to tapping into niche markets, the Bahamian tourism product is poised for a massive resurgence,” Wilchcombe said.