BHTA: Bahamas has tremendous opportunity to attract pandemic-weary global population
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board’s (BOIPB) executive director said yesterday that this year’s overall forecast for Out Island member hotel properties projects that room nights sold will reach 95 percent of the 2019 benchmark and room revenues will hit 86 percent of that year’s performance.
Kerry Fountain, who was addressing the 31st annual Bahamas Business Outlook, said: “Our forecast for 2022, when compared to our benchmark year of 2019, calls for continued recovery.
“We don’t see growth from all hotels. We see continued recovery from some hotels, but growth from other hotels, particularly those hotels located on islands like Abaco, Eleuthera, Harbour Island and Exuma, that have direct airlift from the US and or Canada along with convenient same-day connection from Nassau.”
He added: “Overall, we are projecting room nights sold to reach 95 percent of what they were in 2019, and in terms of room revenue, we are now projecting 86 percent of what we achieved in 2019.
“These projections are dependent on if we do what we need to do, if we control what we need to control — getting vaccinated, following the protocols recommended by the Ministry of Health.”
However, Fred Lounsberry, CEO of the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board, acknowledged that the group business has suffered greatly due to the COVID-19 pandemic although the country’s tourism sector has continued to rebound.
We’re not out of the woods. We have a long way to go and while 2022 is going to be a challenge, we will get through it.
– Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board CEO Fred Lounsberry
“Groups, which are a critical part of the tourism pie, has suffered greatly,” said Lounsberry.
“They [continue] to show support for the destination but, obviously, with what’s going on now, it’s going to push that back. We had good momentum going into the end of the year which quickly evaporated with the omicron surge.
“Our goal is to continue to build demand, which will impact long-term groups and long-term business.”
He also noted: “We’re not out of the woods. We have a long way to go and while 2022 is going to be a challenge, we will get through it. Everybody is very enthusiastic.”
Robert Sands, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA) president, noted that despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, The Bahamas has a tremendous opportunity to attract a pandemic-weary global population.
