The winners of the first-ever Caribbean Journal Bahamas Travel Awards have been revealed. 

The inaugural CJBTA celebrated the best of the destination, from hotels and marinas to taxi drivers and chefs, with the awardees receiving their trophies in a ceremony during the recent Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference at the Baha Mar resort in Nassau. 

“We’re very excited by the response to the first Bahamas Travel Awards. But what we’re really proud of is that, unlike many awards programs, the CJBTA also celebrates the most important component of any tourism destination: the people who make it work every day, from taxi drivers to People-to-People hosts and hostesses.” She further remarked, “The ultimate goal of all those of us who work in the tourism and hospitality sector in The Bahamas is customer satisfaction,” said Joy Jibrilu, director general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. 

The awards, which saw more than 33,000 votes cast, were held in partnership with the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. 

“We are so excited with the response to this year’s inaugural CJBTA,” said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal. “They’re a testament to the tremendous diversity of The Bahamas’ tourism offering.”

See the full list of winners below:

Destination of the Year: Nassau Paradise Island

Best Restaurant: Mahogany House, Nassau

Best Luxury Resort: Rosewood Baha Mar

Best Boutique Hotel: The Island House, Nassau

Best All-Inclusive Resort: Warwick Paradise Island Bahamas

Best Cruise Line of the Year: Royal Caribbean

Best Fishing Lodge: Bimini Big Game Club, Bimini

Best People- to- People Host/Hostess: Beverly Wallace-Whitfield, Nassau

Best Experience: Graycliff Heritage Village, Nassau

Best Beach Bar: Sip Sip, Harbour Island

Best Airline: Bahamasair

Best Marina: Staniel Cay, Exuma

Best Bartender: Marv Cunningham, Atlantis Paradise Island

Best Chef: Kevyn Pratt

Best Taxi Driver: Cheryl Fox-Ferguson, Nassau

“The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and the Caribbean Journal, the region’s leading online travel publication, will continue to award those who are dedicated to offering exceptional service to all our visitors,” the Ministry said in a statement. 

The next edition of the Bahamas Travel Awards will launch voting in November. 

—‚ CJ