NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Cat Island resort operators say the frequency and cost of airlifts to the island are severely impacting their businesses. They also lament the effects of unregulated Airbnb operations.
Frank Wolf, the former owner of Shannas Cove, spoke during a hotel panel at the Cat Island Business Outlook, noting, “A big issue is the timing of the Western Air flights at 1 PM, which kills a lot of business. It’s an absolute fact. We have people who just cancel. I know this. People don’t want to spend two nights in Nassau. That’s a big killer. Makers Air has been helping, but then there’s the price. I just got an email yesterday from someone who was planning to come to Shannas Cove, and $1,850 is just ridiculous. I remember we had flights two to three years ago that were $1,400, and now it’s $1,900. Everyone could be much better off with a different schedule from the airlines. Even for us as a business going to Nassau, you need to spend two nights there to get anything done. I would prefer to have a morning flight only or an afternoon flight instead of 1 PM or 1:30 PM.”
Wolf also suggested that Bahamasair, which flies to San Salvador and Rock Sound, could combine services with Cat Island.
Yvonne Rolle, operator of Rollezz Villas Beach Resort, stated, “Makers Air is just too overpriced, and Western Air does not meet the requirements for the guests coming in. Guests don’t want to spend a day in Nassau at all. When those people book, they turn around and say they have to cancel, and thankfully, they go to another Family Island. The Bahamas still gets the business, but Cat Island loses out. When those people don’t come to the hotels, they don’t go to the fish fry or any other establishments. Airlift is extremely critical. We used to have quite a few charters, and it seems those have lessened as well.”
Donna Keisler of Fernandez Bay stated: “I remember a while ago you could go from the U.S. to Cat Island six days a week. It was amazing. I would love to see that happen again. The airfare situation is major, and when they say spending the night in Nassau, you get off the plane, go to your hotel, and you’re not there sightseeing. That has to change.”
Antoine Barbier, manager of Greenwood Beach Resort, noted: “We are losing a lot of business because of the airlift issue. Also, there are the Airbnbs. A lot of people come and would rather rent a house. Another issue is that some of them are not up to standard, and we have people coming to the resort because something goes wrong. One time, we had a guest arriving at 10 at night because of flooding in the Airbnb.”
Sherrie Cleare, general manager at Orange Creek Inn, also highlighted the challenges posed by Airbnb. “Being a hotelier, we have to maintain a standard and pay business and hotel licenses. The Airbnbs don’t have to meet a standard. We have to pay, and we’re losing customers to those who don’t have to pay. Something has to be done there.”
Rolle further noted that staffing is a huge problem for hoteliers on the island. “You find that people want to get paid daily or every couple of days, and those people don’t want to show up to work until they need their next paycheck. You find yourself working and doing everything. That is something that can be improved upon. I think that if you try to bring someone in who is not from here, there is a big pushback against it. Most people don’t want to come to an island like Cat Island to work. Young people want to explore and do things, and I can’t fault them for it, but we don’t have anything here to sustain us, and we won’t last long if the trend continues. We will burn out.”
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