Dionisio D’Aguilar, Minister of Tourism.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
THE government's forecast of a record-breaking year for tourism performance could be disrupted thanks to Hurricane Dorian.
According to Tourism Minister Dionisio D'Aguilar yesterday, although the dangerous storm would have largely affected Grand Bahama and Abaco, visitors unfamiliar with The Bahamas' geography will believe the entire country was devastated.
This, he said, is likely to affect projections, creating "enormous" concerns for the industry. He also lamented the fact that more than 20,000 cruise ship passengers who were expected to arrive in Nassau have been directed elsewhere due to the storm.
"Of course there are enormous concerns given the severity of the storm, the size of the storm and the expected level of devastation," Mr D'Aguilar told reporters yesterday. "So Grand Bahama and Abaco are obviously a major source of foreign visitors to our country and we expect there to be catastrophic damage to the infrastructure there and certainly for a number of months, at least at a minimum, we expect there to be a significant decrease of foreign visitors to those islands.
"However in Abaco especially a lot of the foreign visitors to Abaco are second home owners and so we are expecting a number of them to come in and assess the damage of their second homes and to rebuild as quickly as possible.
"There is certainly a very resilient component of our foreign visitors and so we expect that to bounce back quickly."
He continued: "Obviously New Providence is being affected just by the news that people are getting confused about the geography of The Bahamas as they always do and so when we refer to the devastation that is happening to Abaco and Grand Bahama people assume it's the entire Bahamas and so we like to emphasise that Nassau which is, of course, the economic hub and the depository for most of our foreign visitors will emerge relatively unscathed.
"We are expecting very low tropical storm force winds in New Providence and so we expect at least this component of foreign visitors to bounce back.
"For example, today we were expecting in excess of 20,000 cruise ship passengers in the city of Nassau and they have all cancelled so we are going to at least temporarily experience a significant downturn of foreign visitors, but like I say a number of the important component of our infrastructure will remain unscathed and so those will be able to bounce back relatively quickly.
"So the Ministry of Tourism's primary focus right now is to get out there that while there has been some devastation to a component of our tourism infrastructure at least the majority of it here in Nassau is open and ready to receive our foreign visitors so that will be our task at hand," the minister also said.
Asked if it was likely that Dorian would affect the Grand Lucayan's sale, Mr D'Aguilar said he was hoping it would not.
"I am happy to report that the chairman of the Lucayan Renewal Company has fully insured it. It has full replacement value insurance and so any damage that hotel incurs we expect to be able to recoup it through the insurance. So we have prepared for the inevitable. We had planned for it and I think we are ready to move on from that."
He also said: "So, yes, there will be landscaping damage, there may even be damage to the buildings as well, but you know the first line of defence is the insurance and then I know that they were expected to do a significant renovation to those buildings there. I am hoping that won't impede our intended plan to divest ourselves of the hotel in the later part of the year."
• The Cabinet Office announces that government offices in New Providence will re-open on Tuesday, September 3. All others will be closed until further notice. Public Health Clinics are to open today, September 2.
Comments
TalRussell 4 years, 7 months ago
What sad look sadness amazement on the face comrade minister tourism Dionisio James?
It's not likes this is Dionisio James's very first experience as crown minister run into direct contact economic havoc left behind be cleaned up after hurricane done pass .... Dionisio James - hurricane Dorian is the 'third' hurricane season have touched down colony of out islands under watch governing PM Minnis, yes, no .... is it your sincere wish, not visit the Minnis administrations 'record hurricane failures' to deliver on hurricane promises ....
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
The silly expression on his face says: "This ain't my problem.....I can't fix this!" But he needs to immediately get off of his duff and get the loud and clear message out there to our major tourist markets in North America that Nassau, Eleuthera, the Exumas, etc. were not seriously impacted by Hurricane Dorian and will be open for giving tourists the greatest vacation of their lives during this coming season.
Nearly 20% of our tourist product (and a good chunk of our GDP) has just been crushed by Dorian's devastating impacts on Grand Bahama and Abaco. That means D'Aguilar needs to get out there and do his job as Minister of Tourism, now more than ever, and the sooner the better. He can start immediately by wiping that goofy look of despair off of his face!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 7 months ago
I don't believe you could expect the minister of tourism to walk around saying hope we dont have a hurricane, hope we dont have a hurricane...that would dampen enthusiasm for the islands. But the tourism is hot!! comment never sat well with me because it came with an acknowledgement from the minister that we were benefitting from the devastation in Dominica and the ABC islands...I believe he said something to the effect that it's unfortunate but that's the way it is (not verbatim but the general gist)...i dont like bringing religion into general topics but when the people asked Jesus about a human tragedy and why it happened to a certain group of people, Jesus' response was, worry about your own soul. Maybe our response to Dominica should have been laser focus on what do we do if hit by 160mph. I think that question is even more relevant today for every other bahamian island. Because its evident it's not impossible and it could happen in the blink of an eye. Not many people can afford to attempt to construct for 180mph
Porcupine 4 years, 7 months ago
I think you're right. This is not the new normal. It is only going to get worse. Few can afford to build to the next level required. We should have seen that last year. Praying is good in last ditch hopes, but cannot replace reason and planning, as it has here for so many years. We will have to get serious about what is in store for us here in The Bahamas. We truly need leaders who are up to date in their thinking and vision. We don't have them yet and it seems we get rid of the honest people here as quickly as we can.
joeblow 4 years, 7 months ago
In light of what is going on in the northern Bahamas, it is quite insensitive to even comment on tourism projections!
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
Meanwhile all major TV stations and other forms of media are effectively bombarding North Americans with reports that the Bahamas may be no place to vacation for years to come. That message needs to be immediately and vigorously refuted by spelling out the fact we have many other islands for vacationers that were not impacted by Hurricane Dorian. If we don't do this, other tourist destinations in the Caribbean region will soon be eating our lunch for years to come.
observer2 4 years, 7 months ago
Hi Bloggers
I noticed that ppl are not blogging as much as they were a couple of years ago. Years ago idiotic comments from politicians such as those above would have been severely criticized by at least a dozen comments. Now only 3?
I suspect everyone is disillusioned and feels that their comments are falling on deaf ears. Or maybe ppl just don't have any electricity or internet.
My 2 cents:
No planes are flying in or out of Nassau Airport. Check out flightaware.com and punch in NAS.
Yes, Mr. D'Agular, the world believes the Bahamas is devastated and they are not coming to Nassau either (at the moment). But did you ever consider that BPL is destroying our tourist product? Did you ever consider that ppl will not come to Nassau due to online comments about the electricity?
Mr. D'Agular is anyone taking a step back and questioning the viability of the Grand Lucayan Hotel due to the increasing impact of climate change on Grand Bahama? Scientist have stated that the warming oceans will create even greater "super hurricanes" with speeds of 200 mph and flooding approaching 50 feet.
https://www.yaleclimateconnections.or...">https://www.yaleclimateconnections.or...
Porcupine 4 years, 7 months ago
All valid points.
Zakary 4 years, 7 months ago
We are all tired now.
observer2 4 years, 7 months ago
Thanks Zakary. My only regret is that I did not sell my home in Nassau and just leave. Sitting here I feel like a sitting duck for the next "super hurricane" to hit Nassau in the next 20 years.
We all know it will happen. But all we can say is that thank God it did not hit Nassau. Well at somepoint Nassau's luck will run out. Its just a matter of time.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 7 months ago
Your estimate of 20 years is way too generous my friend. 10 years at most.
TalRussell 4 years, 7 months ago
Mr. Comrade House Speaker, yes, Google is indeed a powerful tool.... 'everybody' can understand that, yes, no ....- So said the even now looking more Google complexes Comrade Dionisio James,Tourism Minister - June 2019 - But wait there's more. Didn't the colony's prime minister, not just yesterday- issue plea for the populaces, not to take to Tweeter but wait for Erica and Acee's official 'red' government's spin-room to have first crack at writing their own official version on hurricane Dorian .... You just can't make this up ....
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID