Not even whitewashed tourism ads can erase the first impression the Nassau International Airport has on its annual two million foreign visitors, many of whom are welcomed by grimy restrooms, lack of signage and dripping ceilings.
“Airport unkempt. Washrooms dirty, unkempt and broken down. Improve your airport facilities like food, washrooms, newsstands and restaurants. You are currently operating on the bare minimum,” complained one airline passenger. “It is pathetic.”
According to Vernice Walkine, deputy director in the tourism ministry, the ministry’s Exit Survey receives hundreds of similar complaints about the Nassau International Airport .
Seeing that the NIA is the first place that tourists see when they arrive in the capital, Mrs. Walkine said it was the first impression they get of The Bahamas, which clearly was detrimental to the tourism.
She said: “It has come up often enough to cause us to recognise that it is something that visitors do pay attention to. It’s the first thing they see, and if their first experience is a negative one in the airport, they will tell us about it.”
A passenger said: “Your airport toilets are not clean. Please clean them and they smell. You need to expand and improve your airport departure and arrival facilities within the next year.
“Just look at the airport οΎ— dirty, filthy, walls need painting, windows dirty, office floor filthy, men’s room broken, holes in wall, door missing, lock broken. No one cares.”
Another passenger complaint targeted the NIA’s baggage claim area, calling it confusing and disorganised, while another said: “Airport facilities were below the standard that I expected…. very poor and disappointing for encouraging tourism.”
These comments brought about the reality that tourist are not pleased when they enter the capital, said Mrs. Walkine.
“It just ain’t so,” she said. “Every visitor arriving here by plane does not believe they are in a special place when the airport roof is leaking and trash bins are collecting the water, and the restrooms are not well kept. They wonder what kind of people we are, what little pride we have to have our major airport in such conditions.”
The complaints has forced the ministry to meet with Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Civil Aviation and Airport Authority officials to discuss of transforming the NIA into a “user-friendly” facility.
The Tourism ministry is confident that the three airport agencies will renovate the airport. In fact, some renovations have began to the facility, thus changing the image of the country.
“We have checked all of the areas that have been identified as needing improvement from the arrival hall, in terms of the whole environment there, the lack of signage, the fact that the baggage belt don’t work on a consistent basis, there’s no way to determine which belt will bring which luggage…. those kinds of things really make a difference,” she said.
While Bahamians are accustomed to the airport, and are familiar with where everything is, that is not so for foreign travellers.
“They’re already in a foreign place, so they need to flow through with ease. They expect to be welcomed by warm people with the comfort of knowing that they’re safe, but they don’t get that impression,” said Mrs. Walkine.
Last week, during a ceremony to break ground to the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort’s $600 Phase III expansion, owner Sol Kerzner called for the Bahamian Government to address the state of NIA.
“We have a wonderful destination with wonderful people, but we have developed the worst airport in the world,” said Mr. Kerzner.
He continued: “I think it is difficult to move forward with the programme that we are moving without actually seeing things begin to happen. We need to make this a first-class airport. I have seen it happen in other parts of the world, and I am sure it can happen here.”
In turn, Prime Minister Perry Christie assured that the Government is aware that the airport is in a state of disrepair and that plans have been made to improve the facility.
“We believe that the improvements will not only address the poor state and condition of the runways, but the improvement will ensure from an aesthetic and functional point of view that the physical buildings themselves will have much desired improvements brought to bear,” he assured.
However, before any improvements are made, Mr. Christie said management would first be strengthened. Presently, retired former permanent secretary Idris Reid is the acting general manager of the Airport Authority.
By Khashan Poitier, The Nassau Guardian
