November 4, 2021
ROBERT SANDS
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‘Don’t derail tourism revival with higher electricity costs’
The Bahamian tourism industry yesterday warned it “can ill-afford to be derailed” from its post-COVID recovery by a hike in electricity prices which remain “pivotal” to the sector’s global competitiveness.
‘Christmas comes early’ for tourism with COVID easing
Tourism operators yesterday said “Christmas has come early” after the Government announced the elimination of COVID entry testing for vaccinated visitors and the Health Travel Visa with effect from this Sunday.
Bahamas ‘stands out like sore thumb’ over COVID entry testing
Tourism executives are warning The Bahamas “stands out like a sore thumb” over its continued COVID entry testing measures after the US eliminated such restrictions with effect from midnight yesterday.
Don’t allow COVID apathy to ‘strangle economic rebound’
A top hotelier yesterday warned The Bahamas “must not allow apathy” to undermine the COVID fight, while admitting the surge in cases will make the Government “more tentative” over the further restriction easing sought by tourism.
No slowdown in bookings yet after CDC raised risk warning
THERE has been no slowdown so far in bookings after the US Centers for Disease Control raised the COVID risk rating for The Bahamas to level two - but hoteliers are on the alert as new subvariants are spreading in the US and could reach our shores.
Tourism chief urges ‘all hands on deck’ to combat crime
A senior hotelier is calling for an “all hands on deck” approach to combating crime given that it poses “a major risk” to The Bahamas’ continued post-COVID tourism and economic recovery if not controlled.
Highest US COVID rating ‘paves way’ for test ease
A senior hotelier yesterday voiced optimism that The Bahamas’ achievement in attaining the highest-possible COVID rating with US health regulators “paves the way” for both to review the testing protocols required to enter their nations.
Post-Easter tourism is ‘higher than ever’
A top hotelier yesterday said tourism demand for the post-Easter weekend period is “higher than it’s ever been” and “going beyond the traditional ring fencing” that usually marks the peak winter season climax.
Bahamas hotel rooms off 2,500 against pre-COVID
The Bahamas’ total resort room inventory has been slashed by 2,500 compared to 2019 levels, a top hotelier said yesterday, arguing that no indicator of industry performance should be viewed in isolation.
Bahamas ‘open for business’ with latest COVID upgrade
The Bahamas is “unquestionably” in a strong competitive position after US federal health authorities confirmed this nation’s COVID ranking is set to be upgraded to ‘moderate’, a top hotelier said yesterday.
IMF ‘preaching to choir’ over COVID-19 ravages
A senior hotelier yesterday said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is “preaching to the choir” over its call to make increased COVID-19 vaccination rates The Bahamas’ leading economic policy priority.
Sands: Travel risk move is ‘step in the right direction’
BAHAMAS Hotel and Tourism Association President Robert Sands says the country’s newly lowered travel risk rating by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention “is a step in the right direction”.
Bahamas ‘on cutting edge’ with hotel mask relaxation
The Government’s decision to partially lift the COVID mask mandate for resorts was yesterday hailed by a top hotelier as placing The Bahamas “on the cutting edge” of post-pandemic recovery.
US health upgrade gives tourism ‘unabated’ boost
A top hotelier last night said The Bahamas’ long-awaited COVID upgrade by the US health authorities will help ensure “pent-up demand for travel to The Bahamas continues unabated”.
Hotelier urges ‘shelving’ of all COVID restrictions
A top hotelier yesterday said he is “praying daily” for the US health authorities to upgrade The Bahamas’ COVID ranking amid calls from some in the industry to “shelve” all pandemic restrictions,.
BPL fuel hedge renewal ‘more crucial than ever’
A top hotelier yesterday said the oil price impact from Russia’s war on Ukraine meant it was “more important now than ever before” that Bahamas Power & Light’s (BPL) fuel hedge be renewed.
Hotels chief calls for COVID mask rethink
A prominent hotelier yesterday urged the Government to consider relaxing COVID mask mandates in resorts and other tourist amenities where the majority of persons are fully vaccinated.
Tourism’s ‘very big deal’: 13% of visitors are back
Tourism executives yesterday hailed the re-opening of markets that accounted for up to 13 percent of this nation’s pre-COVID visitor base as “a very big deal for The Bahamas”.
Tourism’s call: ‘Eliminate’ 48-hour COVID testing
The Government was yesterday urged to eliminate the 48 hour in-country COVID testing requirement for all tourists and make The Bahamas “more competitive” for the peak winter season.
Sands alarm at travel protocols
BAHAMAS Hotel and Tourism Association president Robert Sands said the “bigger issue” for the country is changes in entry protocols as opposed to health travel warnings from the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
COVID quarantine change: ‘Right direction on all fronts’
The Government’s adjustments to the COVID isolation and quarantine rules have strengthened the “building blocks of travel confidence” for the peak winter tourism season, a top hotelier says.
Tourism in ‘huge win’ on COVID test ease
Bahamian tourism was yesterday said to have secured “a huge win” after millions of dollars in visitor bookings were rescued by the Government suspending tougher COVID testing measures.
‘Rescue’ peak tourism: Gov’ts last-ditch action
The Government last suspended the mandatory COVID PCR tests for all visitors due to take effect from January 7 after being urged to “rescue” the peak winter tourism season.
New grading puts fuel into recovery
A TOP hotelier said “tourism momentum will increase” with the Centres for Disease Control lowering the country’s travel advisory to Level 2 from Level 3.
Holiday determination aids staff cost control
A senior hotelier yesterday welcomed the Government’s decision to clarify which two days will be designated as “holidays” this Christmas for better enabling the industry to control labour costs.
Ninety days to switch VAT pricing
Retailers have been given a 90-day transition period to deal with the repricing “nightmare” caused by the VAT rate cut, one saying yesterday: “We hope this is the last change for a very long time.”
Tourism relief: Biden doesn’t kill Christmas
The Bahamian tourism industry yesterday voiced relief that the US chose not to impose harsher COVID border restrictions that would have undermined the peak Christmas/New Year season.
‘A real dampener’: Fear over new COVID strain
The emergence of a new COVID-19 strain threatens to put “a real dampener” on Bahamian tourism’s rebound and that of the wider economy in the Christmas run-up, it was feared yesterday.
Hotels ‘can’t ask for more’ over post-COVID rebound
Bahamian resorts are seeing the high-occupancy Christmas period expand by 50 percent, a top hotelier has revealed, adding of the post-COVID rebound: “We couldn’t have asked for more.”
Resorts set for ‘over 90%’ Thanksgiving occupancies
Major Bahamian resorts are set to enjoy occupancies “in excess of 90 percent” over the Thanksgiving holiday, a top hotelier disclosed yesterday, adding: “We’re not looking back.”
‘Unprecedented’ tourism boost via COVID upgrade
Resorts are eyeing “unprecedented” Christmas occupancies after the US upgraded The Bahamas’ COVID status, a top hotelier said yesterday, with many on pace to beat pre-pandemic levels.
Change law so staff pay for COVID tests
A top hotelier yesterday issued “a clarion call” for The Bahamas to eliminate legal stipulations that mandate employers must pay for their workers’ COVID-19 testing.
Hotels won’t rebound to pre-COVID employment
A top hotelier yesterday conceded it will “be very difficult” for existing Bahamian resorts to fully return to 100 percent of pre-COVID staffing levels due to the changed working environment.
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