Hotel industry officials are reporting early signs of a rebound across the entire sector, although warning that Grand Bahama and Abaco will take a little bit longer to return to normal.
In an interview with The Tribune, Frank Comito, executive vice-president of the Bahamas Hotel Association (BHA), said most hotels outside Abaco and Grand Bahama were operating normally at this point. Some hotels in the Family Islands were closed, as they would have been during previous years, due to September being the traditionally slow time during the tourism season. Every hotel that would normally be open during this period of the year, however, is open.
Even in Grand Bahama and Abaco, the two hardest hit areas, some hotel executives are reporting that they are partially operational. Mr. Comito, who is also executive director of the Nassau Tourism and Development Board, said that in Abaco, although most hotels were closed, a number are reporting they were operational. The Abaco Beach Resort and Marina is partially operational as is the Treasure Cay Resort Hotel and Marina. The Bustic Bight Resort, Deeﾴs Guest House, Hope Town Harbour Lodge and the Hope Town Hideaway are all open. All other properties are either seasonally closed or closed because of damage, he said.
In Grand Bahama, Mr. Comito said they still had not heard from several hotels. Of those that had reported, the Best Western Castaways was fully operational, as is the Island Seas Resort. The Pelican Bay Hotel and Suites, the Port Lucaya Resort and Yacht Club and the Island Palm Resort were scheduled to open on Friday. More hotels are expected to come on line later in the month, with the Sheraton at Our Lucaya and the Isle of Capri casino due to open October 14.
Said Mr. Comito: Weﾴre seeing some movement and itﾴs fairly encouraging that the industry is rebounding. It will just take a little bit more time for Abaco and Grand Bahama.’
Grand Bahama International opened on September 26 for commercial flights, and daily flights are now arriving from south Florida. Six flights are being mounted daily by Gulfstream/Continental Connection ﾖ five from Ft. Lauderdale and one from West Palm Beach ﾖ and two from Miami via American Eagle.
Bahamasair has resumed a minimum of three daily flights from Nassau to Freeport, and two daily flights from Ft. Lauderdale. The twice daily non-stop regional jet service from Atlanta by Delta Connection is back in service, and Air Tran Airways will resume daily service from Atlanta on October 14. US Airwaysﾴ Charlotte service to Grand Bahama will be back by mid-November.
Carnival Cruise Lines has committed to resume visits to Grand Bahama from October 24 and Discovery Sun is scheduled for two weeks of annual dry dock service from October 19, with a return on November 03.
Meanwhile, the Westin at Our Lucaya is set to re-open on December 17, with the Wyndham Viva Fortuna Beach Resort re-opening a day later. The Crowne Plaza Golf and Casino Resort at the Royal Oasis will re-open on April 01, 2005. Only the Old Bahama Bay and Marina has yet to decide when it will re-open. The only Grand Bahama attractions yet to re-open are the Parrot Jungleﾴs Garden of the Groves, and the International Bazaar.
Meanwhile, in an address to the Miami Heraldﾴs Conference of the Americas at the weekend, Prime Minister Perry Christie said it ﾓwill take us years to dig out from under the devastation’ caused by Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne.
Saying The Bahamas would do so, ﾓat enormous cost’, Mr. Christie said Freeport was without food, water and power for two weeks. After Jeanne, Marsh Harbour was ﾓin a terrible state of disrepair’ with its docks ﾓsmashed to bits’. ﾓIts business community has been left in a devastated condition,’ Mr. Christie said of Abaco.
Source: By Yolanda Deleveaux, The Tribune
4th October, 2004.
