• Briland proprietor: ‘I’m all for closing this chapter’

• CDC upgrade is BHTA president’s ‘daily prayer’

• SuperClubs says 5-day test was too ‘onerous’

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A top hotelier yesterday said he is “praying daily” for the US health authorities to upgrade The Bahamas’ COVID ranking amid calls from some in the industry to “shelve” all pandemic restrictions,.

Robert Sands, the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president, told Tribune Business that the Government’s plan to remove in-destination testing for tourists five days after their arrival was “critical to recapturing market share as a leading tourism destination”.

The change, which will occur when the latest COVID health rules are published in the Government gazette, comes at a “key juncture” in the tourism industry’s post-COVID recovery. The BHTA president said it was vital that The Bahamas ensures no rival destination gains a competitive advantage through having more relaxed entry and testing protocols.

However, some in the industry argued that “it’s time” to remove all COVID-related impediments to visiting The Bahamas after new infections numbered just two on Tuesday this week. Only 16 persons remain in hospital with the virus, one of whom is in intensive care.

Benjamin Simmons, proprietor of The Other Side and Ocean View properties on Harbour Island and Eleuthera, told Tribune Business: “I think everybody is just ready to let it all go. I think it’s [removing the five-day test] definitely less expensive for guests. I think it’s all positive. We’re all ready to see the back of COVID-19.

“There’s no complaints. People are willing to do what they need to do to get here. I think it’s just time. I think at this point I would definitely advocate we shelve all the COVID restrictions. I think it’s time. I’m well aware that even on a good day the Bahamian healthcare system has its fragility, but there’s cause for optimism. I don’t know what the statistics are, but we’re in a good place.”

The Government is retaining the policy requiring all visitors to produce a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of travelling to The Bahamas, and has yet to adjust the face mask mandate despite calls from the resort industry to relax this for guests on their property and using their amenities on the basis that 90 percent-plus are fully vaccinated.

Mr Simmons, who backed relaxing the mask mandate at small Family Island restaurants, many of which are “small diners” or open air, said it was “very important” that The Bahamas’ remaining COVID protocols appear too onerous and deter persons from travelling, thus placing this nation at a competitive disadvantage.

“I think there’s definitely going to be a segment of the market or society looking for problems, but I think that’s a dwindling niche market,” he added. “The vast majority of people are vaccinated, boosted or have already had COVID-19 and feel confident they don’t need to worry as much.

“That’s the growing market segment as opposed to people who are concerned and want to feel safe going to a destination... I’m all for closing this chapter. We’ve got enough to worry about with Ukraine and rising gas prices.

“That seems to be more the concern; the cost of flying and aviation fuel, and the impact on tickets coming in the next year. That will be more of a disaster. Fingers crossed that we are not going from one disaster to another.”

Comparing The Bahamas’ existing COVID protocols to rival destinations, Mr Simmons added: “We’re definitely behind right now. Most people got rid of their outdoor mask policy from a year ago. I think our mask policy is way behind. On testing, I think we’re in step with the rest of the world on that.”

As for the performance of his resorts as they approach the peak winter season, he said: “Great. I looked at the board and it said we’re at 104 percent occupancy. I was like: ‘How can we get 104 percent? We’re 100 percent basically to the end of March, just booming. Grateful, grateful. We’re moving onwards.”

Muna Issa, SuperClubs Breezes managing director, told Tribune Business via an email message that the end to the five-day COVID-19 test is “excellent news”.

She explained: “The American guests who stay seven nights found themselves having to do a test on day five to satisfy the Bahamian government requirement, and then taking another test on day six in order to return to the US per the CDC (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention) requirements, and they found this onerous.” Ms Issa said “this will affect overall guest satisfaction”.

Mr Sands, meanwhile, told Tribune Business that the imminent end to in-destination testing for tourists after five days was regarded by himself and the BHTA as “another firm step in the right direction”, particularly at this critical juncture in the recovery of our tourism industry”.

He added: “The BHTA and the Government are aligned on removing impediments to travel amid what is largely being perceived as a waning pandemic. These relaxations are critical to recapturing market share as a leading tourism destination.

“We thank the Government for open lines of communication, and know it is not an easy task to balance the health and safety of Bahamians, residents and visitors while facilitating the rebound of the country’s number one industry.”

Mr Sands said the hotel and tourism industry will be “patient” in waiting for the Government to make adjustments to the COVID mask mandate, adding: “Every win is very positive for the industry. I think the deputy prime minister has articulated that the Government is looking at a continuum, and as things improve and progress there will be further relaxations, so we look forward to that.

“Adjusting on a regular basis is a very good thing. I think each country is at a different stage in this fight with COVID-19. I believe, certainly in some instances, we are leading, and in some instances we are at the same level with others in the Caribbean.”

Urging that The Bahamas “not lose sight” of the need to increase vaccination rates still further, and that it “still has a long way to go” in this area, Mr Sands said further improvement will enable the Government to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.

“I think we don’t want those in our competitive set to have an advantage over us,” he told this newspaper. “I think each country has to be judged on its own particular needs and set of circumstances, but it’s important we don’t allow our competitors to be ahead of us in connection with some of these protocols.

“As we look in the Caribbean, I think we may be slightly ahead in some instances. This is crunch time or prime for the hotel industry. Therefore, most properties are somewhat encouraged by their bookings. What we do will dictate how our forward bookings progress, and grow demand for the destination. We’re now beyond Easter, and looking forward to the second, third and fourth quarters.”

Mr Sands, in common with the rest of the industry, is awaiting the CDC’s move to upgrade The Bahamas from its ‘Level 4’ “avoid travel” advisory on the basis of a sharp decline in COVID cases to negligible levels.

“That’s may daily prayer. I just hope it’s imminent,” he added. “It has the greatest impact on the long-term touristic situation for The Bahamas. It would be good for The Bahamas to distance itself and be in a category that is not an issue. We’re certainly hoping for the upgrade, and the better the upgrade, the better for The Bahamas. It’s my daily prayer.”