By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
FAMILY Island hotels have seen a 4 per cent increase in average occupancy levels year-over-year, the Out Island Promotion Board’s president said yesterday, adding that room nights sold had risen by 2 per cent during the same period.
Shavonne Darville, who was elected as the Board’s president for a third term, said the growth had been seen in the 12 months to end-June 2013. And she added that there was a 13 per cent growth in room nights for hotels who had been members of the Promotion Board for the past two years.
“If, however, we took into account new members over the last year, our figures would have actually been 20.5 per cent,” Ms Darville said.
Regarding occupancy levels for Out Island hotel properties, Ms Darville said: “Out Island property members’ average occupancy last year was only 29 per cent, and it has now increased to 33 per cent. We’re quite positive that we have passed the 30 per cent marker line, and we’re working on initiatives in the coming year so that hopefully our next target will be in the 40 per cent range with regards to average occupancy rates.”
Ms Darville said the Promotion Board was looking to target the Bahamian market with its domestic campaign. “Our domestic campaign is a campaign that we run every year, recognising that Bahamians tend to travel to the Out Islands in the summer months,” she added.
“We have some offers out there in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism that make it more affordable, and to encourage Bahamians to visit the Out Islands.
“The offer that is currently in the market for them that applies to domestic tourism is for a two-night stay; they receive one free round-trip ticket from Nassau to an Out Island once they stay at a participating Out Island resort.”
Ms Darville said: “Currently the offer is not just for the summer; it’s bookable until June 30, 2014. The offer still stands for travel until October 31, 2014. Some exclusions do apply, and that applies to any on-island festival, say for instance, Crab Fest, regattas and any major holiday.
“Those are excluded time periods. We have had a good response somewhat. We see an uptick in the summer months and that’s when our members try to offer domestic rates as well.”
Ms Darville said the primary issue affecting the Out Island resort business was airlift capacity. “There is a constant effort to work on increasing airlift to the Out Islands, especially for increasing direct traffic, because we notice that with direct traffic those islands tend to fair better,” she added.
“We are, at the end of the day, primarily trying to focus on increasing direct traffic while recognising that there is a lot of value, and there has been a significant push, towards island hopping through Nassau.
“We want to be be able, in the Out Islands, to offer an alternative holiday in conjunction with a stay at Atlantis, for instance, where folks take the opportunity with the flight promotions we have in the market to then visit the Out Islands.”
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