The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Sandals Emerald Bay resort is among the entities feeling the effects of a coronavirus-inflicted downturn in business.

Jeremy Mutton, its general manager, told Tribune Business: “Inevitably with various travel bans and travel restrictions going on around the world we have seen a reduction in our arrivals and in immediate short-term bookings.

“I wouldn’t necessarily call it cancellations. I would say more people are postponing. They are not cancelling altogether; they’re just pushing back their dates to later on in the year and we have allowed them flexibility to do so.”

He added: “In terms of comparisons with previous events, honestly each has taken their own particular spin. There are different travel circumstances, there are different travel restrictions and bans this time as they were with some of the other viruses or 9/11, so it is quite difficult to compare in that regard.

“We have seen a reduction in our occupancy but it is difficult to give a percentage. This is normally a buoyant time of year not only for Sandals Emerald Bay but for the entire Exuma.” Mr Mutton said he was expecting this decrease in occupancy levels to persist for the next few months.

Vernon Moss, general manager for the Sandyport Beach Resort, said of visitor cancellations: “We had a few but we are still holding our own. My reservations department is still going through the actual numbers but it hasn’t been as much. Confirmed cases are the main threshold you have to look out for.” The Bahamas recorded its first confirmed coronavirus case at the weekend.

Anthony Higgs, general manager of Harbour Safaris, also confirmed he has witnessed a bookings decline, and said: “I don’t know about percentage-wise, but it is limited to the end of this month. The beginning of next month, individuals travelling through can’t get to the States and they can’t get here.”