Atlantis Paradise Island boasts plenty of amenities, including a casino, golf course, water park and more. Courtesy of Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas

The Bahamas is more than just stunning beaches; but it is the allure of the Bahamian islands. Insurance and financial event professionals look no further than The Bahamas for a postcard-perfect relaxing beach setting. They know attendees want a pivot from a constant state of presence to a desire to escape to a place where they can soak up the sun, get immersed in the Caribbean islands’ surrounding reefs, or swim with turtles, snorkel with seahorses and spy whales in the winter months.

With 16 major islands, the Bahamas is an unmatched destination across 100,000 square miles of the world’s most incredibly clear waters. But with all its splendor, event planners should consider the beautiful Bahamas for novelty and simplicity — two features most people seek in every aspect of their daily lives.

Baha Mar

And at the center of it all, providing that and more is Baha Mar. With three iconic oceanfront hotels — Grand Hyatt, SLS and Rosewood, it showcases the picture of novelty, simplicity . . . and luxury. The resorts offer over 300,000 sf of indoor and outdoor meeting space, stunning views and over 45 restaurants and lounges by world-renowned chefs.

“We have several clients with large programs,” says Jennifer Mazza, vice president of Travel Operations at Next Level Performance in New Brunswick, NJ. “So, finding a large, offshore, quality property that can manage large groups well, and with good airlift, can be challenging. Baha Mar checks all the boxes.”

With attendees coming from all over the U.S., finding a quality resort to meet the needs of a wide range of attendees was critical to Mazza’s group. Baha Mar was the perfect choice, from the pools and beaches to the casino, retail shopping, various restaurant options and world-class golf.

“Baha Mar is an outstanding property,” Mazza explains. “The entire complex is impressive! The grounds are well kept, guest rooms and public spaces are clean and luxurious, and the casino provides top-notch nightlife.” She adds, “The quality of the room product, public spaces, event venues, a convention center with more than 200,000 sf of flexible indoor- and outdoor-event spaces that incorporate the Bahamian culture throughout, and the excellent restaurants — Baha Mar is unparalleled for large resorts in the Bahamas. Ease of access is also critical, and Nassau offers good flight lift from most major airports in the U.S.”

Mazza offered her attendees a variety of excursions — from a round of golf at Royal Blue, a dolphin swim at the blue lagoon, a catamaran snorkel sail at Sandy Toes Rose Island, to a Nassau Jeep Adventure and spa services at the Caribbean’s only Education Spa [ESPA]. But in the Bahamas, you can be more than just a tourist, she says. “As part of a recent large incentive, we designed a CSR event for a local food bank that delivered 37,000 cans of food to the people of Nassau fighting food insecurity,” adds Mazza. “This event was produced in conjunction with Baha Mar and the local DMC, and was held at Jasmin Garden. As a result, Next Level Performance was the 2023 SITE Crystal Award Winner for Most Impactful Effort Toward CSR as part of an incentive travel program. We are very proud of our impact on hundreds of Bahamian families!”

Taylor Gough, account director of Fenix Event Management in Pickering, ON, was also wowed by the beauty of the Bahamas and Baha Mar’s service and offerings.

“We looked to the Bahamas as it provided easy access for attendees across Canada. We were hosting an event for a luxury automotive client, so choosing a hotel with sophisticated and contemporary hotel accommodations and amenities, along with excellent service and food and beverage offerings, was crucial. SLS Baha Mar hit the mark on all accounts. And the Baha Mar Convention Center is also the most beautiful of its kind in the Caribbean if not all of North America,” he says.

Operated by Grand Hyatt, the Baha Mar Convention Center is one of the largest event venues in the Caribbean, offering 200,000 sf of flexible indoor and outdoor spaces. Designed to be the ultimate destination for business meets pleasure, it’s the perfect venue for conventions, conferences, events and corporate retreats.

For Gough’s group, providing a good balance of leisure and structure was paramount. SLS Baha Mar helped them exceed this goal, working with them to customize a program that was very unique to their needs. “Our attendees were not only thrilled to stay somewhere as exciting as SLS Baha Mar, but came away feeling the event was truly special,” he says.

According to Gough, SLS Baha Mar did a phenomenal job with all the food and beverages. In addition to paying great attention to detail, they creatively tied in local flavors. Their diverse event culinary team offered different types of cuisines, including Indian and Kosher meals. In addition, the resort’s restaurants and lounges feature culinary options from all over the world.

Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas

Atlantis Paradise Island Bahamas was launched 25 years ago as a marvel of nature and engineering. Since then, the oceanside resort on Paradise Island in the Bahamas has rivaled other top venues worldwide. With five miles of white-sand beaches and crystal blue waters, it is accessible to Atlantis’ The Coral, The Royal, The Cove, The Reef and Harborside guests.

Like everything at Atlantis Paradise Island, the 3,400 luxurious rooms, suites and villas with ocean views exceed every expectation. Attendees can embrace the Bahamian relaxed ‘island time’ pace and explore its rich culture — vibrant music, cuisine and customs — for an authentic island experience and a taste of the region’s heritage.

Atlantis Paradise Island offers diverse dining selections from restaurants helmed by Michelin-starred chefs to Bahamian cafes. With its award-winning Mandara Spa and Fitness Center, Ocean Club Golf Course and world-class shopping, Atlantis redefines luxury and amplifies fun and adventure. At the resort’s heart is the 141-acre Aquaventure — a waterpark with over a dozen pools, water slides and river rides, as well as six exhibit lagoons, including a transparent underwater tunnel in a shark habitat.

When it’s time to get down to business, Atlantis Paradise Island Resort offers over 500,000 sf of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space with state-of-the-art technology, plus endless interactive experiences customizable for groups of 10 to 25,000.

“Groups will find a variety of ways to entertain all attendees with Atlantis’ vast offering of amenities,” says Steve Silverman, SVP group sales, Atlantis Paradise Island. “There are so many unforgettable authentic Bahamian experiences to groups of all sizes, including complimentary opening reception entertainment with traditional Bahamian Fire Dancers, Limbo Dancers and Junkanoo Rush performers.”

One of the highlights of Atlantis Paradise Island is Cove Beach, which offers an unparalleled feeling of privacy and relaxation, he says. The beach is home to Sacred Space, a breathtaking sculpture on The Cove peninsula designed by Bahamian artist Antonius Roberts. The Seven Dancing Women represent the connection of the Bahamian past to the future, the ocean to the land, and the 700 Bahamas islands to Paradise Island. Beautiful Bahamas at its best.  I&FMM.