By FAY SIMMONS

Tribune Business Reporter 

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

AN ABACO resort and marina operator yesterday warned that “a lot of boaters are upset” over the newly-implemented $200 fee to extend visitor stays and the way it has been introduced.

Molly McIntosh, the Bluff House Beach Resort and Marina’s owner, told Tribune Business she, too, was unaware that the Immigration Department has from September 18, 2024, imposed a non-refundable $200 per person processing fee for tourists seeking to extend their stay in The Bahamas despite the measure being unveiled in the Budget.

“I wasn’t aware of it either until I saw a bunch of complaints on Facebook, and then a couple boaters contacted me by e-mail,” said Ms McIntosh. “It’s going to affect the business, I can tell you right now. A lot of boaters are upset about it. It’s going to be a problem.”

She said that while the Government should collect revenue from visitors, she does not think the fee’s imposition will encourage tourism in the Family Islands. Ms McIntosh added that guests travelling with a family will be reluctant to pay multiple processing fees and will be deterred from extending their stay.

“I don’t think it’s probably the best way to do that. I mean, I know we need money, and if the people want to come in here, we want to make sure they pay money,” said Ms McIntosh.

“We want them to come here so they’re spending money, and the Government can collect the VAT on that. If they’re not here, then it’s going to be a lot more of a loss than $200. Somebody that maybe would have stayed longer might just say that it’s not worth $200 per person.

“For a family of six that’s $1,200. I can do a lot with $1,200 and people from the States can do even more. Their money goes a lot further. So $1,200 is a lot.” Peter Maury, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president, previously told Tribune Business that the sector and its clients were blindsided by the September 18, 2024, implementation of the fee.

Describing the move as “anti-tourism”, on the basis that the fee effectively penalises visitors for staying in The Bahamas longer and spending more money in local communities, he argued that it had compounded boating/yachting perceptions that the country is becoming cost “prohibitive” following the recent imposition of higher yacht charter levies and other increased taxes and fees.

Mr Maury told this newspaper that the September 18 implementation, which was accompanied by little to no warning, had undermined ABM, industry and Ministry of Tourism Investments and Aviation efforts to attract high-end boats and yachts to The Bahamas and away from the Mediterranean through their attendance one week later at the Monaco Boat Show.

However, the ABM chief admitted he was “unaware” that Prime Minister Philip Davis KC had warned the measure was coming when he unveiled the 2024-2025 Budget at the end of May. “The Immigration Department will also implement a Visitors Stay extension application fee of $200. This will cover the costs of issuing a visitors’ card,” Mr Davis explained.

It is standard practice for the Immigration Department to charge a non-refundable processing fee - whether $200 or another sum - to cover the costs, and recover the expense, associated with various permit application types.

And The Bahamas, like all sovereign states, has the right to at all times regulate and manage its borders, determine who is within its territory and decide how long it will permit them to stay. And the $200 one-time fee, in and of itself, is hardly a huge sum for visiting tourists and boat crews to pay if they decide to extend their stay and original cruising permit.

However, Mr Maury said the new $200 fee has added “inconvenience” to the process as the Immigration flyer confirming its September 18, 2024, introduction appears to require all applicants to now “book an appointment” via the Department’s website and physically attend in person to obtain the extension of stay. This also has to be accompanied by the cruising permit, proof of payment and contact details.

The ABM chief also complained that cruising permit and visitor stay applications are often not aligned, with a vessel sometimes allowed to enter The Bahamas for three months as an example but guests and crew only given permission for 30 days.

Ms McIntosh, meanwhile, said her resort is closed until later this month and the remaining staff have already made preparations ahead of Hurricane Milton. She remained hopeful that Abaco will not experience significant damage from the storm’s passage as the island has only recently begun to rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian.

“The resort is closed, we don’t have any guests here and most of the staff is on vacation,” she explained. “I’ve only got about four staff here. We had already shuttered up when we closed down for the season. We’ve put all the furniture in. I’m going to be here on property during the storm. We imagine the power is going to go off and hopefully it won’t last too long.

“We’re looking forward to the preseason when we do open. Hopefully the storm doesn’t do too much damage. We’re got our fingers crossed that we get through this unscathed.” Ms McIntosh said that due to shipment delays as a result of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton she has not received the supplies needed to undertake repairs and remodelling at the resort while it was closed.

“The weather has caused us some issues because this is the time we do some repairs and rebuilding and remodelling, and our stuff is stuck in Florida,” said Ms McIntosh. “So, it has had an effect, and we’ll have to dance around that and figure it out, because we’ve got guests coming in as soon as we open.”

Hurricane Milton is currently a Category 5 hurricane that is expected to make landfall along Florida’s west coast tonight. The Department of Meteorology has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Abaco, Bimini and Grand Bahama, and the surrounding cays.