4-time BREA President Christine Wallace-Whitfield
2nd BREA Trade Mission Draws 200 from 6 Countries, Tourism, Banks, Investments Join for Florida Virtual Meeting
More than 200 real estate professionals, advisors and potential investors got a virtual view of property and lifestyle offerings in The Bahamas during an online trade mission organized by the Bahamas Real Estate Association (BREA) in conjunction with the Royal Palm Coast Realtor Association recently.
It was the second annual trade mission between the two entities, but the first one to be held entirely virtually and according to BREA President, the ease of attending boosted the numbers. Last year’s event combined in person and virtual content.
“We were really pleased with the turnout for this trade mission and grateful for the partnerships including the Ministry of Tourism and other BREA members who told their story and why they love what they do. It was as a great opportunity for us to present the best of The Bahamas to an audience that included 200-plus viewers from six countries and interest from as far away as Portugal,” said Christine Wallace-Whitfield. Participants tuned in to the Zoom meeting from the U.S., Canada, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Bahamas as well as Western Europe.
What attendees got was a glimpse of luxury properties, including videos, facts about purchasing property in The Bahamas, financing, tax-friendly policies and a round-up of all things Ministry of Tourism — Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay, destination updates for 16 islands, information about the Bahamian story, updates on airlift and schedules through the end of the year and attractions from the blue holes of Andros to the swimming pigs of Exuma.
“This was just our second year partnering with the Palm Coast Realtor Association,” said Wallace-Whitfield, “and the level of participation this year was more than we ever dreamed. Partly, it may have been that it was easy to sign in, look at the enticing images of properties in The Bahamas and learn more without having to travel to an event, but I think a lot of the interest was just because The Bahamas is so desirable.”
That desirability heightened during the lockdowns and restrictions imposed because of the COVID pandemic, said the 4-time president of the organization of more than 700 licensed brokers and agents.
“What people around the world realized is if they could work from home, why wouldn’t they want to live in a place they love, a place of their choosing rather than where an office is located,” she said. “It opened up a whole new world for people to seek out the most beautiful and desirable places in the world. With all the advantages and amenities that The Bahamas has to offer and the proximity to the major markets of the US and Canada, we are at the top of many lists.”
In addition to promoting The Bahamas, BREA is focused on updating what it calls antiquated legislation governing the industry.