Derecho del Turismo en las Américas

408 DERECHO DEL TURISMO EN LAS AMÉRICAS all possible steps to ensure its continuance as a significant national industry (BahamaHost, Undated). The country has, therefore, adopted a policy to strengthen linkages between tourism and other sectors, such as agriculture to increase the multiplier effect and to reduce the leakage of foreign exchange. The policy also seeks to distribute the economic benefits of tourism throughout the country while ensuring sustainability and adaptation to climate change. Tourism legislation in The Bahamas flows from this government policy to support the continued development of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Bahamas Tourism Industry Success Now an upper‑middle‑income country and one of the wealthiest in the island states of the Americas and CARICOM region, tourism, with a GDP contribution of over 50%, is considered to be the mainstay of the Bahamian economy. In 2018, The Bahamas welcomed a total of 6,622,015 air and sea arrivals, each usually spending approximately US$ 5,227 per Bahamian. According to The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism (BahamaHost, 2008), tourism generates 75% of foreign exchange earnings, two‑thirds of all jobs and well over half of all sums of moneywithwhich theGovernment provides public services. In fact, approximately 64% of all jobs in The Bahamas are tourist‑related, with one in every four (4) jobs being directly linked to tourism.As a result, the tourism‑based economy of The Bahamas provides jobs as a major employer in the country; brings in foreign exchange that helps the country pay for the services it buys; pays taxes to the Government; brings in investors; generates wealth; promotes cross‑cultural understanding; and encourages the advancement of technology and training. This chapter emphasises the importance of the support by Government legislation given to tourism development in The Bahamas and the way it has shaped and developed its tourism into the successful industry that it is today. 2. THE PRE‑1950 ERA: A SCAN OF EARLY LEGISLATION AND TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE BAHAMAS The earliest accounts of tourism in The Bahamas dates to 1740 when The Bahamas was still a colony of the British Empire. Travels to the country for health reasons were promoted by Peter Henry Bruce, a military engineer sent from England to repair the military forts in Nassau. He recommended and vouched that travelling to and staying in Nassau for the speedy recovery of any