The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian hotels yesterday said eliminating the COVID-19 RT-PCR test for fully vaccinated visitors has yet to boost future bookings as business continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cheryl Bastian, owner/operator of Swain’s Cay Lodge in Andros, told Tribune Business that demand has been steadily increasing since last month prior to the government announcing that tourists who have taken two vaccine shots will no longer have produce a negative PCR test result taken within five days of travelling to The Bahamas.

Ms Bastian said: “I know people seem to welcome it when I tell them that they don’t have to take the PCR test ,and they are telling me ‘great’. My business has seen a bit of an uptick because I think of the things that we’re doing. We’re a great place to fish.

“Things always fall-off in the US during this time, but the thing is now the weather is better and we’re always doing stuff, so we do have an uptick in potential future business.”

Ms Bastian said she was unable to attribute the growth she is seeing to the five-day test’s elimination, adding: “I have been seeing an increase in bookings before they did that. I don’t see a big demand coming in as a result of that. I just see things slowing down as they normally would, and we’re trying to push our specials to get summer business in that we normally don’t.”

Frank Wolff, owner/operator of Shanna’s Cove Resort in Orange Creek, Cat Island, said: “We do have a definite increase in interest in visiting the resort, but that is not dependent on the new regulations; that was happening before.

“A lot of people in America are vaccinated now anyway, and it makes it easier, but we have already a lot of bookings until the end of the year and also for next year because of the vaccination. I don’t see the impact from the change in the regulations at the moment, but it will definitely increase the business because it makes it much easier to travel and that will definitely be an increase.”

Matthew Brear, Cape Santa Maria’s general manager, said while he is “booked solid for May and June this year” he does not believe the change in entry requirements for visitors is a major factor driving the increase in business.

“The bookings are coming fast and furious here,” he added. “Regardless, we’re busy. So I don’t know if there was a slight uptick as a result, but I don’t necessarily think that there was a real impediment to having the test done.

“Lots of people already have had the vaccine and are here. Regardless of the protocols, they took the vaccine or they took the test. They just want to get out of dodge.”

Pablo Casal, the British Colonial Hilton’s general manager, in a written response to Tribune Business, said: “We have noticed a steady growth in demand since the re-opening, but no major changes since May 1.”