COOPER: WE ARE THIS YEAR RIVALING THE PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS OF 2019
NASSAU, Bahamas — Up to the end of July, The Bahamas welcomed 3.6 million tourists, which Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation Chester Cooper said yesterday represents more than a 500 percent increase over last year at the same time, The Nassau Guardian reported on Tuesday, September 13, in an article written by Paige McCartney.
Cooper said it has become standard that the Nassau Cruise Port regularly brings in 21,000 passengers per day, while on average 11,000 travelers pass through Lynden Pindling International Airport each day.
“We are this year rivaling the pre-pandemic numbers of 2019, with our destination welcoming 3,676,692 visitors from January through July in 2022. That number represents a 515 percent increase over the same period a year before,” he said while addressing the ASTA Caribbean Showcase dinner, held at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort yesterday evening.
“If we look at stopover visitors specifically, those numbers totaled 866,036 by July 2022, compared to 525,234 in 2021. And this summer, the major resorts of Nassau and Paradise Island are reporting 80 percent occupancy, with a positive forecast going into the winter of 2023. And we’re not slowing down.”
Noting that more and more hotels that were shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic are reopening, Cooper said Melia and the British Colonial will soon come back on stream.
Last month, Cooper said the country was struggling to meet room demand, as more and more tourists with pent up desire to travel opt to vacation in The Bahamas.
He said has a result, tourism officials had to ask the operators of those shuttered hotels to reopen.
“More hotels the pandemic shuttered are also being brought back on stream. We have Club Med in San Salvador returning to service this fall. We have the Hilton coming back on stream. And we have the Melia on the Cable Beach strip coming back on stream. What’s good for Bahamas tourism is good for Sandals. We’re getting more hotel rooms in the system,” he said. See complete article in The Nassau Guardian at https://thenassauguardian.com/515-percent-increase-in-tourist-arrivals/
