By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

ROYAL Caribbean’s top executive yesterday revealed the increase in total passengers it will bring to The Bahamas in 2024 to 4.4m is a key factor driving its Paradise Island beach club project.

Michael Bayley, the cruise line’s president and chief executive, speaking on board the cruise line’s largest $2bn vessel to-date, Icon of the Seas, said another ship will by itself start bringing more than 15,000 visitors per week to Nassau this summer.

He added that ever-increasing passenger volume made it important for Royal Caribbean to provide them with new attractions and experiences, hence the development of its $110m Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island.

“I believe in 2024 the number of tourists we will bring to The Bahamas will be close to 4.4 million. This ship, Icon of the Seas, will be visiting Coco Cay once a week and be on one-week itineraries,” Mr Bayley said.

“In the summer we introduced the latest Oasis class ship, which will be coming to both Coco Cay and Nassau. Starting I think some time in mid-July, we’ll be bringing over 15,000 people a week to Nassau on that one ship alone.

“So we continue to increase the number of tourists we bring. This is why, for us, it was so important to move forward with the Royal Beach Club. It’s one more attraction that we think is going to be meaningful for our guests.”

Mr Bayley maintained that the “proof is in the pudding”, and that the Royal Beach Club will be positive for Bahamian entrepreneurs, jobs and overall economic impact. The project will ultimately be 49 percent Bahamian-owned between the Government and local investors, and will be managed and operated by Bahamian vendors.

“I’m not really going to comment on the naysayers,” the Royal think there’s a process that everybody has to go through that requires a very buttoned-up approach with a very thoughtfully crafted plan that we are responsible for executing.

“We have state-of-the-art technology that we’re bring- ing to this project in terms of the environment, and I think what we’re going to see is the proof is in the pudding. When we see this product, and we see how incredibly attractive it is to the tourists and the quality of that product, I think, hopefully, everybody will be proud.

“The fact that it’s a 49 percent owned Bahamian product, the fact that everybody working in the Beach Club experience is going to be Bahamian, the fact that all of our management is going to be Bahamian, the entertainment, that

everything is really connected and integrated into the Bahamian culture.”

Mr Bayley added that the Royal Beach Club will help create experiences that resonate with visitors, and that making the Bahamas a “dedicated” stop for the Utopia demonstrates its commitment to ensuring the development of the tourism product.

“As a large cruise line, want to continue to help foster and create experiences that really resonate with our customers. We can do that many different ways. The Beach Club is one of those ways so I think it’s a wonderfully positive thing,” he said.

“The fact that Utopia of the Seas, the latest Oasis class ship this summer, with an investment of over $2bn, is effectively dedicated to The Bahamas is another testimony to not only our commitment but I believe

that we can really continue to develop the product.”

Mr Bayley said that bookings for the Icon are going well and he has a positive outlook for the year.

He added: “The social media coverage of Icon has been phenomenal and the bookings are great. I was speaking to Mr Cooper earlier and telling him that 2024 is looking great for tourism. We feel quite positive about the outlook which, as we all know after the pandemic, it’s great to see another great year coming towards us.

“Fifty-five years ago, Nassau was the first port of call for Royal Caribbean and we’ve had a long history together. We very much enjoy that partnership and relationship. And, of course, the Bahamian culture is something that’s incredibly attractive to our guests and our consumers that we bring to the Bahamas.”