NASSAU, Bahamas, September 11, 2020 — The Government’s tourism re-opening plans were yesterday dealt a major blow after Baha Mar told staff its October return was “not achievable” due to COVID-19 spikes here and in key US markets, The Tribune reported on September 11, in a story written by Business Editor Neil Hartnell.
The Cable Beach mega resort, and its Melia Nassau Beach property, hinted strongly they may not re-open until Christmas at earliest – and possibly not until 2021 – as they informed non-unionised staff they will receive 30 percent of their base salary as an “ex-gratia” payment for up to a further 90 days.
Daniel Lozano, the Melia’s general manager, told staff in a September 10 letter that the decision to further delay the property’s re-opening to an undetermined date had been driven by Baha Mar’s analysis of current COVID-19 infection rates both in The Bahamas and its key US tourism source markets.
He added that Baha Mar’s initial expectations that COVID-19 would have been under control by October have not been realised, and the resort developer/owner had to prioritise the health and safety of both guests and staff.
“Difficult decisions must be made to protect those who are most important to us,” Mr Lozano wrote. “This is why I am announcing that the re-opening of the Melia will be further delayed to preserve the safety of our associates and guests. This is a decision that was not made lightly, and we understand that it may come as a disappointment to many. It is a choice that was made based on the most recent assessment of the current state of COVID-19 cases here in The Bahamas and in our key US markets.”
He continued: “In June, it was our goal to re-open in October. That goal is not achievable under the current circumstances. Our expectation was that the virus would have been controlled by this point which, unfortunately, is not the case. “Please be assured that our desire and intent to open the resort as soon as it can be done safely, and in a way that allows our guests and associates to do so with the peace of mind we all yearn for in this tumultuous time.” See the complete Tribune article at http://www.tribune242.com/news/2020/sep/11/baha-mar-scraps-october-opening-resort-tells-worke/
