The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Hotel operators yesterday said The Bahamas' imminent travel upgrade by US health regulators was "a well deserved reward" for cutting its COVID-19 cases and may create a competitive advantage.

Matthew Brear, Cape Santa Maria's general manager, speaking after the Prime Minister revealed that the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was poised to upgrade The Bahamas from 'Level 4' to 'Level 3', said: “This is a well-deserved reward for all of the work Bahamians have been putting into keeping our visitors safe.”

The shift would move The Bahamas from 'very high risk', in relation to COVID-19, to 'high' risk. This, in turn, downgrades the CDC's warning to US citizens on The Bahamas from "travellers should avoid all travel to The Bahamas" to one where they should "reconsider travel".

Confirming the move in the House of Assembly yesterday, Dr Hubert Minnis said: "I am pleased to announce today that following a reassessment by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, The Bahamas will be moved down to a 'Level 3' travel health notice from the more serious 'Level 4'.

"This reassessment came after discussions between myself, other Bahamian officials and the US government. We will, I believe, be moved to 'Level 3' because the CDC sees how much progress we have made and are convinced that we will continue to be vigilant."

Mr Brear said in response: “While the [COVID-19 protocols] in place are not perfect, they certainly are head and shoulders above so many other places including the United States and even Canada. So I think this is great news and this bodes well for our tourism industry.”

He added that it will “help” to ease the fears of tourists considering whether to travel to The Bahamas, and should give them comfort they will not face harsh quarantine measures upon their re-entry into the US.

“When considering The Bahamas as a destination, and when you align The Bahamas with other sunny beach vacations, The Bahamas has a huge competitive advantage over other places that are either at a higher level [with the CDC] or don’t have the appropriate testing capacity in place for them to return to the United States,” Mr Brear said.

However, he urged The Bahamas to adjust its COVID-19 testing regime to meet US demands that all returning travellers produce a negative test for the virus within three days of their trip.

"We are still dealing with what The Bahamas already had implemented, which is that the rapid antigen test is needed on day five," Mr Brear said. "Now that is suitable currently for people visiting from the US who are only staying between five and eight days.

"However, if they're staying nine days, or four days, or nine days or more, or four days or less, that rapid antigen test is not available to them. There's a three-day window in order to utilise a rapid antigen test to re-enter the US. So if they have it on day five, they could use it to re-enter the US on day six, seven and eight, because that's the three-day window, but they can't use it on day nine.

Jeff Birch, owner/operator of the Small Hope Bay Lodge in Fresh Creek, Andros, said the CDC upgrade was nothing to get excited about if the US decides to impose a mandatory quarantine on all returning travellers

“It does make it more attractive to somebody from the North American market as it is a very positive move," he still acknowledged. "I think as a government we have been doing great, and the Prime Minister continues to remind us that we must not be lax.”

Pablo Casal, general manager of the Colonial Hilton, said: “This is always good news for the industry but we don’t know what the real effect would be in the short term. Definitely long-term good news. “

Muna Issa, SuperClubs Breezes managing director, said: “We don't think it will have a significant impact on bookings but we are happy for all positive revisions. I believe The Bahamas is more of a 'Level one' and not a 'three'.”