By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The negative publicity stemming from Baha Mar’s delayed opening will be “put to bed” once a firm opening date is set and the $3.5 billion destination resort lives up to its billing, the Ministr of Tourism said yesterday.

  Obie Wilchcombe said he did not believe that the Bahamas ‘brand’ would suffer any long-lasting damage to its reputation as a tourist destination due to Baha Mar’s delayed opening, and backlash from guests furious at their cancelled bookings.

The lack of a timeline for the resort’s opening,  and poor communication, has caused  fierce criticism from scores of potential guests who said they planned months ahead for their vacations.

  “We are all concerned about that. We have to be,” Mr Wilchcombe told Tribune Business. “My view is that the only way to deal with that is you can apologise on one hand but, at the same time, you have to deliver.

“Even if you take the approach that it should not have happened, the reality is how you go beyond that. Baha Mar will have to fix some relationships, and we are working with them to ensure that they fix some relationships in the global community.”

Mr Wilchcombe added: “We are working, and working extremely hard, to ensure that as soon as possible we arrive at a fixed date and cause for a massive global campaign, and then cause for  a grand opening.

“You can look at the beauty of the property, and it has a tremendous amount of appeal, major brands and a large casino. It means that more marketing is required, more promotion and events are required to draw attention to the property.”

    Baha Mar was initially expected to open last December but that date was delayed. In January, the resort said it would open its doors to paying customers on  March 27, but that date was then pushed back to early May due to ongoing construction work.

In a statement, Baha Mar criticised the performance of its lead contractor, China Construction America, revealing that work at the property had not met its “standards of excellence” and was unacceptable.

Baha Mar added that it had relied on statements from its construction manager and lead contractor when it previously announced a March 27 opening date.