National

Freeport Business Expo Hailed As Spark For GB’s Revival

GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – Nearly a week after the Freeport Business Expo, the excitement still hasn’t worn off.

Published

9 months ago

May 7, 2025

Kendeno Knowles

GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS – Nearly a week after the Freeport Business Expo, the excitement still hasn’t worn off. Executives at the Grand Bahama Port Authority say the event hit the mark by linking local entrepreneurs with global providers and planting something deeper.

Chad DeBoer – Director, Sales and Market Development, Kay Park Recreation
“We are really hoping to come back next year.”

DeBoer represents Kay Park Recreation, one of a dozen international exhibitors at this year’s Freeport Business Expo. His team brought paddle boats, ping pong tables, and outdoor seating to get families back outside and off their devices.

Chad DeBoer – Director, Sales and Market Development, Kay Park Recreation
“There are lots of people out there that are looking to get experiences that aren’t digitally related. They want to get kids and parents and people out there doing things outside of their phones.”

And after connecting with local business owners, DeBoer added:

Chad DeBoer – Director, Sales and Market Development, Kay Park Recreation
“We love to partner. We consider ourselves partners with our customers, and they’re willing to tell their story. And so we visited a couple sites already.”

This sense of connection was exactly what organizers hoped to create.

Glendia Sweeting – Manager, Special Projects & Quality Assurance, GBPA
“Giving Bahamians an opportunity to be able to see, feel, touch, and experience—it’s just an invaluable experience.”

Sweeting also shared that the momentum is real and growing.

Glendia Sweeting – Manager, Special Projects & Quality Assurance, GBPA
“We’ve heard the international exhibitors today saying, we’re talking to Bahamians, this seems so real, we really think we can work with them.”

Beyond deals and displays, Sweeting says what’s growing most is belief in Grand Bahama’s potential.

Glendia Sweeting – Manager, Special Projects & Quality Assurance, GBPA
“So everyone is very hopeful. And I think that is what’s going to ensure that as long as these entrepreneurs want to keep their feet to the ground and they want to hit the ground running moving forward after this expo, they’re going to be successful.”

For GBPA Co-Chair Sarah St. George, this hope is exactly what the island has long deserved.

Sarah St. George – Co-Chair, GBPA
“You know, we’re versatile, and we’ve been through such hard times and restoration and that recovery was absolutely vital, but as you come through that, I think everyone now deserves to see a whole new thrust of Grand Bahama and feel it, and it’s long overdue.”

For her, the expo was more than just a business event—it’s a much-needed turning point.

Sarah St. George – Co-Chair, GBPA
“I’m so incredibly proud of the team. You can’t imagine, it’s just so heartwarming to see the recovery of the island, and to feel it.”