A Washington D.C. tourism development firm has been hired to provide marketing, sales and consulting services to an initiative to transform Inagua into a sports fishing and ecotourism destination.

Solimar International's involvement comes as part of the 2004 sustainable tourism initiative devised for Inagua by the Government and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which aimed to diversify the island's economy away from its traditional reliance on Morton Salt by exploring environmental and heritage tourism.

"Inagua has great potential, said Simon Jones of Solimar. "Training is a big part of what the Ministry can provide to help Inaguans get to that point where they are ready tor tourists to come down and...really enjoy the island."

The Government/IDB study identified potential short-term activities as including bird watching for small groups for short stays; sports fishing for small groups or individuals; academic travel with school groups; and religious travel.

Long-term activities included scuba diving, longer academic visits, and nature tourism, including exploration of the islands.

"When you're talking about game fishing, we have it all right at our doorstep," said historian and community co-coordinator, Inaguan Vivian Moultrie. "Jacks, tunas, snooks, tarpons, bonitos, wahoos, mahi-mahis...

"We may not be as well known as Bimini, but that does not change the fact that the best game fishing is found right here."

Site of the 184,000-acre Inagua National Park, Great Inagua, Little Inagua and two cays are home to flocks of rare Bahama parrots and tens of thousands of wild West Indian flamingos.

Source: The Tribune