On March 8, Royal Caribbean International has signed an agreement with Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie that will promote the tourism further. This multi-year agreement is a sign of a more close partnership between the premier cruise line and the island nation.

Among the details of the partnership, the significant investment of Royal Caribbean to CocoCay, the private island destination of the cruise line in The Bahamas, is well sealed. Extensive hospitality training will also be given to the Bahamians so that they could get a chance of scoring jobs in the company by working on their cruise ships.

With the curriculum crafted by training experts by Royal Caribbean itself, the company ensures the Bahamian government that for the next five years, they will increase the number of Bahamian locals as their employees after they have completed training. The curriculum will entail theoretical as well as practical knowledge that will help the locals achieve the kind of service standard Royal Caribbean maintains.

The Grand Bahamas shipyard in Freeport as well is a result of the continued partnership with the cruise line and the Bahamian government. Every year, over 1.7 million visitors frequent the Bahamas courtesy of the Royal Caribbean. For the next decade, they plan to double number.

In a statement, Michael Bayley, president and CEO, Royal Caribbean International, said: "Tourism is an important engine of growth for the economy of destinations in the Caribbean and The Bahamas, and we are excited to bring more visitors on our newest and most innovative ships to this popular vacation spot."

"Our commitment to The Bahamas is multifold. It is our responsibility to contribute to the country's economic diversity, to its employment base and the training of Bahamian youth as well as the protection of the environment. We are excited about the continued growth of tourism in The Bahamas, and look forward to doing our part to keep that growth and progress moving along in the years to come."