By YOURI KEMP
Tribune Business Reporter
ykemp@tribunemedia.net
The Bahamian tourism industry is awaiting the “green light” from the Ministry of Health on when it can re-open to foreign visitors, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.
Dionisio D’Aguilar, pictured, minister of tourism and aviation, speaking outside the Cabinet Office said the sector has “some dates in mind” but declined to reveal them. “It is a function of how we’re doing or how we’re perceived to be doing on the ground from a health perspective,” he added.
“So we’re working towards a re-opening and just waiting for the green light from the Ministry of Health that we are good to go. Obviously that’s going to be balanced with economic considerations. Those are very pressing as people are looking to be re-engaged and get back to work. These are all of the difficult decisions in this current environment of governance.”
Numerous factors will influence when The Bahamas re-opens its borders and the resumption of international travel and tourism. The government to-date has been working on what lies within The Bahamas’ capacity to control, namely seeking to limit and, eventually, eliminate the spread of COVID-19 within this nation’s borders as a means to both save lives and prevent the health system from becoming over-stretched.
However, in seeking to restart tourism, the country’s largest industry and foreign exchange earner, The Bahamas will have to ensure that both industry workers and visitors feel comfortable that all necessary health and safety precautions have been taken so there are no fears about catching COVID-19 from one another.
Temperature screening, frequent cleaning and sanitisation, social distancing, and health certificates showing the bearer is COVID-19 free could become commonplace in the tourism industry when it eventually re-opens.
However, there are multiple factors outside The Bahamas’ control, not least the ability of major source markets such as the US, Canada and Europe to control their infection rates. The economic crisis produced by COVID-19 may hit vacation demand, too, due to lack of disposable income and reduced confidence among travellers.
Several airlines have indicated their desire to resume international flights in mid to late-June, while Carnival Cruise Lines has indicated it plans to begin limited sailing on August 1. Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line plans to begin cruises in early June, along with Royal Caribbean Cruise, while Sandals has set an early July date for the opening of its Bahamian resorts. All such dates, though, appear more aspirational at this stage.
Mr D’Aguilar said the government has yet to give approval for any cruise ship to resume sailing to The Bahamas, and said: “It is still a very much wait and see.” He added that the industry has “got bigger concerns than when The Bahamas government is going to approve them”.
“I think they have got to contend with the American government, and when they are going to give the green light to Americans to be able to get on cruise ships. So that, of course, is the biggest concern, and I don’t think that green light has been given yet, so let’s let them cross that hurdle and then we’ll approach our hurdle,” the minister added.
“Our initial indication is that people want to travel, but you can’t negate the fact that unemployment in the US is now in excess of 30m. They are very much going through the throes of opening their economy and they are trying to navigate that process.
“They are a little bit more open than other jurisdictions, so we have to come to grips with that, as 82 percent of our visitors come from the United States. So if we’re going to rebound we are going to have to rebound with Americans. We have to get comfortable with the way they are addressing this whole COVID-19 pandemic.
“So it’s lots of pressing questions and lots of concerns, but I am confident that if there is a country that’s going to rebound it’s going to be The Bahamas, because we are wonderfully positioned next to the United States. They just have to get their economy back on track and that will reflect positively in The Bahamas.”
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