25.0480° N, 77.3554° W

As a geography student, when I engage with an area for experiential learning I generally am more drawn and fascinated by the way that place can inform development. What I have found while studying this past trip is that I have become much more aware of the ways in which place informs the experience of surroundings. In the Bahamas where so much of our experience was targeted to appreciate the sun, the beaches, and the water - it was very apparent that these resources have become central to the brand of the Bahamas, but not in a way that is exclusively competitive. As we were learning about the competition between Caribbean islands, I discovered that when competing as brands most islands are able to also make the same claims as the Bahamas. I suppose the one aspect which I really was fascinated by the other tactics implemented to attract tourists and how the resorts, casinos, and all inclusive experiences were prioritized in that vision.

Another component that I better understand about tourism is related to the importance of reliability. While evaluating the performance of restaurants and experiences, I found that certain criterion are evaluated based on whether they happen and whether it was timely. While we didn’t name this outright, the importance of reliability performance is the basis of a well rated service. Especially when expectations are high, the expectation for a reliably high standard are incredibly important. Servers that did not perform quality checks or were not available to receive feedback therefore contribute to the expectation of good service. In fact, I began to realize that most issues associated with “poor service” are generally commentary made about service that is unreliable - as if the wait time is expected to be long and servers maintain engagement with customers, expectations can be managed. 

One of my most enjoyable experiences while in Nassau was the opportunity to participate in a walking food tour. I appreciated participating in an intellectually stimulating opportunity while most other offerings were catered strictly to relaxation and the beach. The food tour focused on highlighting the best offerings of local cuisine while describing important and relevant locations. For instance our opportunity to see the John Watling's distillery that was located on a former plantation site was incredibly interesting. The perspective of seeing the history of Nassau through the lens of the development of foods and other industries.

Cricket Club and Bahamian Culture

One of the major experiences which I found to be really insightful was my experience at the restaurant Cricket Club. Located just west of the downtown area, it was a very local spot which was located right next to a cricket pitch and containing a lot of photographs that documented the history of cricket in the Bahamas. One element of this restaurant that had originally surprised me is that I did not expect it to have been on the site of a former Cricket Club, rather naively, and so that realization made the experience incredibly memorable. 

I have an understanding of how Cricket was popularized throughout the Commonwealth nations, however, I had assumed that the Bahamas would have had a more similar cultural trajectory to that of the United States. This location gave me a lot more perspective related to how the Bahamas have a history of a variety of influences that extend beyond driving on the left. However, what I began to notice about the restaurant was that most locals were there for the restaurant itself and there was nobody on the nearby cricket pitch. For this reason, I asked nearby patrons whether cricket was popular in the Bahamas. The first group I had asked of young guys around their mid-20s actually began laughing and saying that nobody plays cricket anymore. When I began to ask which sports were most popular we heard more about the Miami Heat or the Dolphins. The second group which I had asked also referenced two young Bahamians who were just drafted into the NBA, for the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings. When I had gotten up to walk through the restaurant I began to notice the age of the photos, which were much older than I had assumed upon my first examination. I saw the capture of important cricket matches taking place in Nassau as well as Bahamian teams which had previously gone on to play in international tournaments.

When reflecting on my experience many of the smaller issues that I had were related to service and the experience with the menu. However, this spot appeared to have so much more potential for tourists to visit if the experience of the location were made more central to the branding of the experience. I originally felt foolish for not anticipating the obvious connection to cricket, however, I now realize this is in part because it is not the most significant attribute conveyed. If I were able to access more of the history surrounding the location I think I would have been able to benefit from the experience rather than construct an understanding of the location by static photographs.

This photo is taken from Fort Charlotte nearby and in the foreground is the Cricket Club, and the cricket pitch. In the background is Arawak Cay as well as Prince George Wharf.