By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
The Bahamas must work immediately to improve the cost and efficiency of its tourism product, the Opposition’s finance spokesman warning: “No longer can we depend on our location as a draw”.
K.Peter Turnquest was speaking after the US Department of Transportation approved six domestic airlines to begin flights to Cuba from Miami, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis and St Paul this fall.
“I believe this will have an immediate effect on us. In the short term, I believe we will see the fall-out in our arrival statistics, both in sea and land arrivals, as low cost and curiosity will be the order of the day,” said Mr Turnquest.
“This may be tapered by lack of accommodations onshore, but we have to watch our cruise business.
“Ultimately, access and cost will have an affect. The two-destination concept promoted by the Minister has been tried and failed, with Orlando being the previous attempt. We have to immediately work on our product, and to improve our efficiency and cost. No longer can we depend on location as a draw.”
Back in February, the US and Cuba yesterday signed an agreement authorising daily US commercial flights to the communist-ruled island for the first time in more than five decades.
The deal allows up to 110 daily flights to 10 destinations in Cuba, with about 20 of them to the capital, Havana.
The US-Cuba arrangement will allow Americans to travel direct to Cuba rather than transit through the Bahamas, and use airlines such as Bahamasair.
Tourism Minister, Obie Wilchcombe, told this newspaper previously that he believes there is enough tourism business to go around.
He added that the Government was working on a ‘two-destination’ travel arrangement that would see visitors to Cuba also travel to the Bahamas.
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