Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis said yesterday that tourist bookings for the next quarter are at “historically high levels”, as he attributed the optimistic outlook to declining COVID cases in The Bahamas.
Davis said his government’s decision to get rid of the state of emergency shows that The Bahamas “is safely and wisely opening for business”.
“The expansion in testing, the rapid increase in vaccination uptake, and improvement in tracing contacts seem to be having the desired effect,” Davis said at the opening of the Caribbean Hotels Investment Conference and Operations Summit.
“Levels of infection are waning. Hospitalizations are falling. Restrictions on international travel are in line with globally accepted safety protocols.
“As a result, our tourist numbers are rising and bookings for the next quarter and beyond are at historically high levels.”
Davis noted that the completion of the new Nassau Cruise Port, which is scheduled to open in the summer of next year, is also expected to bring record tourist numbers.
“The project is transforming the Prince George Wharf into a modern, world-class destination and one of the greatest waterfronts of the world,” he said.
“Before COVID-19, the port of Nassau attracted 3.7 million passengers per year. With the opening of the new cruise port, we expect to surpass those numbers.”
The optimistic projections come after nearly two years of low numbers as a result of COVID.
The near shutdown of the tourism industry in the early months of the pandemic wreaked havoc on the Bahamian economy, rendering thousands jobless.
Davis said yesterday that his government is committed to not only steering The Bahamas through the COVID pandemic but also to improving healthcare infrastructure throughout the country.
He noted plans to build new hospitals on New Providence and Grand Bahama through public-private partnerships and Family Island upgrades are also on the way.
“We will make major investments in developing and improving our mini hospitals in Abaco, Exuma, and Eleuthera, and construct new satellite clinics and refurbish existing ones with telemedicine capacity for other Family Islands,” Davis said.
“My government is convinced beyond doubt that by alleviating the COVID 19 health crisis and strengthening our healthcare infrastructure, we will be well-placed to secure our economic future.
“I am happy to report that The Bahamas is now on course to experience a rapid rebound in tourist arrivals to pre-pandemic levels, meaning that we should soon recover our position as a premier destination for business and leisure travels.”
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/davis-expects-record-tourist-numbers-next-year/
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