The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian marinas enjoyed a US Independence holiday weekend that “was as strong as 2019”, Tribune Business was told yesterday, with the industry’s mid-market returning following a year-long absence.

Peter Maury, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president, told Tribune Business the sector was now hoping current business levels will sustain for “the next couple of months” through to US Labour Day on September 6 provided that The Bahamas avoids any major hurricanes.

And, despite the extended curfew and other restrictions designed to deal with Bimini’s COVID-19 spike, Mr Maury said reports he had received from several of the islands marinas indicated they were “full” with the measures seemingly failing to deter persons from making the journey from South Florida.

“I would say for all the marinas, and speaking for the ones in Nassau, I don’t think anybody’s lacking. There’s a lot of boats,” he told this newspaper. “It’s as strong as our 2019 season. For some of the marinas in the Out Islands, people are doubling up and it’s back to where it was.

“The boats are all busy. They have people on a lot of charters. Typically this time of year we see a lot of private centre consoles from South Florida coming over, and we’ve seen just as many as normal. In past conversations you and I had, we weren’t really getting that mid-market but they are now able to get accommodations and slips.

“Centre consoles like to come over into Nassau, the Exuma Cays and the Family Islands, and get a hotel room. With the vaccine programme and the health travel visa, they’re all qualifying and booking rooms,” Mr Maury continued. “It’s a very strong July 4. Even hotel rooms in the marinas are rented out.

“We’re getting back the mid-level market we’ve been missing for the last year. Some marinas in The Bahamas, especially the Family Islands, don’t have the mega yacht slips so they need that business. I have smaller slips that are all occupied. People are booking hotel rooms in Atlantis and Baha Mar, and coming back to use their boats during the day.

“It’s definitely been a strong weekend for everybody. It’s been very busy. As long as [Tropical Storm] Elsa and others stay away, this may take the season to Labour Day and there will be a strong next couple of months, which helps a lot of us. The first quarter was not fantastic, and everyone’s trying to get back to where they were. This weekend made a big difference.”

Bimini, traditionally a destination that has been heavily reliant on boating visitors as the first Bahamian stop from South Florida, was expected to have been hit by the reimposition of COVID-19 curfews and other restrictions. However, Mr Maury said reports received to-date indicate the impact has not been as severe as anticipated due to the ability of boaters to isolate on their vessels.

“I’ve talked to a number of people,” he added. “Bimini is full, West End is full. On the boats, people can unwind and get out. You can’t go into restaurants and bars, but in the current situation people are able to go in their boats, anchor out, fish, swim, snorkel and go on a sandy beach.

“We have 110,000 square miles, 700 islands and 2,400 cays. What better place is there to to be than The Bahamas? You can find an island with a white sandy beach and nobody on it. There are plenty of sandy beaches to go on and have a good time.”