Derecho del Turismo en las Américas

Tourism Legislation in The Bahamas 409 invalid, given the “most temperate air” found in The Bahamas. Therefore, as early as the 18 th century, The Bahamas, and particularly Nassau, was recognised as an ideal destination for health tourism (Cleare, 2007, p. 37). Unfortunately, the long journey, the loss of life at sea and the lack of accommodation once anyone landed in Nassau discouraged the individuals to whom Bruce appealed. It was not until after the arrivals of the Loyalists and the trade and wealth they brought that attention became focused on the need to facilitate better transportation to The Bahamas. Loyalists were Americans who were still loyal to the British Crown and, therefore, fled the US during the period of its independence from Britain – The Bahamas, being a British colony at that time, was an ideal alternative for the Loyalists. 1851 Tourism Encouragement Act Further encouraged by the development of the steamship in the 19 th century, the first sets of related legislation that encouraged the start of a movement for tourism purposes to The Bahamas were passed by the colonial legislature in 1851 and 1857. The intent of the legislation was to boost the movement of people and trade by offering an annual fee of 1,000 pounds sterling to any person or company that would contract to ply a vessel between Nassau and New York.The legislative subsidy, however, was not attractive. Given the Government’s determination to see its plans succeed, the offer was raised in 1859 to 3,000 pounds sterling and successfully attracted Canadian entrepreneur, Samuel Cunard, who owned a transatlantic fleet. In that same year (1859), Cunard’s paddle‑wheeled steamer, “Karnak”, made its maiden voyage and a monthly service between New York and Nassau began. 1859 Major Hotel Legislation As travel between the US and The Bahamas increased the economy of The Bahamas flourished. The high standard of living to which the Loyalist were accustomed together with their injection of capital and ideas enabled entrepreneurial development.In 1859, The Bahamas legislature passed an Act “for securing the creation of a hotel on the island of New Providence” and the Royal Victoria Hotel in Nassau, built by the Government of The Bahamas, opened its doors to facilitate travellers in 1861 – the same year in which the US Civil War started.The Bahamas further received a boom in travel and economic activity during the US Civil War as Nassau, almost immediately, became a neutral ground for the exchange of goods between the warring factions of the North and