The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net’

An international financier with experience in infrastructure projects in The Bahamas yesterday warned that the “backdraft” from cruise home porting can have a “sucking effect” on other types of tourism.

Andre Wright, executive vice-president of Standard International Group, told Tribune Business that the check-in back-ups that resulted at Sir Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) last week when hundreds of cruise passengers tried to fly out at the same time are not the only thing the government needs to be concerned about.

While that problem has now been resolved, Mr Wright argued that The Bahamas needs to plan ahead for when the cruise lines change course and end their home porting initiative.

He added: “What’s going to be the backdraft of all of this, and what happens when the cruise lines decide to pivot and go back the other way? These airports in these islands have costs that are associated with the current activity, and how much of an impact will that have on their budget?”

Arguing that this “sucking effect” could happen in less than two years, and possibly within the next six months, because cruise lines change their itineraries as frequently as that, Mr Wright added: “I think things can change within six to nine months, depending on the length of the voyage, so if you’ve ramped up to accommodate that then you have to be careful.”

Noting that other Caribbean islands are not facilitating home porting, such as the US Virgin Islands which can take up to 12 ships per day, Mr Wright said: “Their docks are empty, but their air travel is packed. They are doing 20 flights on Saturday and those are extended stay visitors who are spending money like taking taxis, going to restaurants and bars, and it’s been a boom for their economy.”

Besides the pressure being placed on airports due to the sudden increase in arrivals for the home porting, Mr Wright added: “I think the vaccination protocols, and the re-entry protocols, are going to be very important for the cruise lines for both the country as well as for the passengers.

“The transfers will have an impact. If any of those islands that are home porting were destinations previously, where those passengers want to explore and spend money on the island but now they’re going there for home porting, that’s a big difference.”