NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board (BOIPB) executive director Kerry Fountain said yesterday that government’s decision to eliminate the testing requirement for travelers from New Providence and Grand Bahama to visit other Family Islands could provide a boost for Out Island properties amid the launch of a domestic travel campaign.
Fountain said: “We welcome the news. It eliminates the hassle out of traveling to the family island and for out island travel Nassau is our target market. Persons can now just get on a plane and go.
“We hope it will serve as a launch pad for our domestic tourism campaign,” said Fountain. He noted that Bahamians traveling to the family islands who stay in a BOIPB member property get on round trip ticket free and for those who stay for four nights they get two round trip tickets free.”
He said: “He further noted that generally, this promotion does not apply to homecomings weekends, festivals and regatta but serves as an incentive when travel to the family island is not as robust.”
Fountain also noted that while BOIPB member properties reported a slow January, due to the threat of the Omicron variant, they have reported stronger performances in February and March.
As cases have dropped, the government has incrementally eased restrictions related to social gatherings, mask-wearing and testing for travel. In the latest Health Services Rules, referred to the as the COVID rules, outdoor gatherings were increased from a maximum of 100 to 300. Masks have become optional for guests and employees of resorts and outdoors where there is social distancing.
