NASSAU, Bahamas — Atlantis is targeting a phased re-opening before year-end 2020 by creating a COVID-19 free “bubble” for guests via the ‘Vacation in Place’ model, it was revealed yesterday, The Tribune reported on Friday, October 16, in an article written by Business Editor Neil Hartnell.
The Paradise Island mega resort’s plans were detailed in leaked notes from what appeared to be a briefing held yesterday morning by Audrey Oswell, its president and managing director, for senior management executives to update them on the property’s plans.
An Atlantis spokesperson declined to comment when contacted by Tribune Business yesterday, but this newspaper was able to confirm via independent sources that the notes were genuine and an accurate account of what had been discussed at the 10.30am meeting.
While The Bahamas’ largest private sector employer has yet to settle on a precise re-opening date, the notes stated that present plans call for this to be before year-end. The Atlantis website is presently accepting reservations from December 1, 2020, which — while not providing complete certainty as to when it will return — may give a further insight into its long-awaited re-opening timeline.
Ms Oswell said the phased re-opening strategy, which was designed during Atlantis’s multiple aborted attempts to open during summer 2020, remains in place. Not all employees will be brought back to work for the re-opening, with the ramp-up in staffing dependent on booking volumes and occupancy levels.
Recent lobbying and protests by some Atlantis employees were further discussed at yesterday’s meeting, but Ms Oswell declared that the resort “won’t declare any employee redundant” until it has assessed the strength and timing of any tourism rebound. See complete Tribune story at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2020/oct/16/atlantis-bubble-late-2020-re-open/
