The Grand Bahama Island is one of 700 low-lying islands in the Bahamas Islands of the Caribbean and is the northernmost island. The Grand Bahama is made from coralline limestone and only rises to 40 feet high at the tallest. Its major urban centers include Freeport, West End and and High Rock, which total about 70,000 people. The temperature averages 86° Fahrenheit in the summer and 70° in the summer. Hurricane season is from June till November. Popular beaches include Taino, Lucaya and Xanadu.
The Grand Bahama's peak tourist season takes place from mid-December to mid-April when the weather is mild and warm. Especially busy times include Christmas and other U.S. holidays, such as President's Day in February. It is recommended that visitors make reservations well ahead of time. For tourists visiting the Grand Bahama during off-season, hotels reduce their rates by up to 50 percent, the weather is hot and there is significantly less crowding.
Tourism on Grand Bahama Island involves mainly outdoor recreation and ecotourism, such as horseback riding, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, submersible rides, golf, swimming with dolphins, kayaking and resting on the sandy beaches. Other tourist attractions include the tropical Garden of the Groves, Peterson Cay National Park, the Port Lucaya Marketplace, the Arts and Straw Market, and the historic Perfume Factory of Fragrances.
Tourists travel to Grand Bahama Island by air and boat. Freeport International Airport is located three miles from the city and serves much of the Bahamas. Taxis on Grand Bahama are metered and inexpensive. Buses are available, as well. Visitors may also rent vehicles and drive around the island, which has only about 97 miles of roads. There are ferries to get from one island to another.
Tourism in the Bahamas started with the The Hotel and Steam Ship Service Act of 1898, which opened the Bahamas up to trade. The American Prohibition greatly benefited the Bahamas as wealthy Americans would come to holiday and drink. The end of the Prohibition devastated the Bahamas tourist industry, but its beaches and accommodating weather helped rebuild the industry. Even though the industry is still plagued by hurricane damage every few years, 48 percent of the country's GDP comes from tourism.
