NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Exuma’s $44 million dollar airport expansion could see the island emerge as a mini-hub for the southern Bahamas, according to Aviation Director Algernon Cargill.
With Abaco’s tourism product having been severely impacted by Hurricane Dorian, Cargill said a ‘sharper focus’ will now be placed on islands such as Exuma to continue to promote the country’s tourism sector.
Cargill underscored more than $200 million in airport activity is on the immediate drawing board, including a $15 million airport for Deadman’s Cay Long Island and a $70 million North Eleuthera airport.
The Exuma facility will be ‘ready for business’ by 2020, he said at a press conference to announce the 13th annual Exuma Business Outlook.
Cargill said: “Exuma has always been extremely important to The Bahamas’s tourism product but it is even more important now since Dorian and its significant negative impact on the tourism product in Abaco and Grand Bahama. As a result we are going to see a sharper focus on Exuma. This means that the airport’s delivery is even more important than it has been in the past. We have done the studies and we are very pleased that the project is on track.
“The airport will be ready for business by 2020 and it is our objective to ensure that this 50,000 plus square foot airport is ready and we can take advantage of the opportunities that exist in Exuma post Dorian.
He added: “Abaco has always been one of our busiest airports in The Bahamas. With the tourism product significantly impacted as a result of Dorian we have to look at other island to ensure that we continent to promote the product.”
Exuma is a beautiful island, hope modernization doesn’t ruin its charm. I want to go back some day.
Their’s nothing wrong with modernization as long as you keep the authenticity of the island culture vibrant and genuine, meaning no imported sculptures or things being made in other countries then sold to bahamians then resold to tourists. The government must see to it that T-shirts and souvenirs are made in the Bahamas and I mean all!!! Even the food should be authentically Bahamian then add the others as options. That’s my 5 cents.
Looking forward to the island getting air traffic control service in the midst of all this development and increase in air traffic volume. Let us not forget, safety first! It is 30 years overdue!