By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

BAHA Mar’s president Graeme Davis said business has softened this year compared to expectations, and booking for 2025 is not as robust as officials forecast.

“We had high expectations throughout ‘24 from ‘23’s record setting numbers, but we’re finding that there is a softening in the market, particularly in luxury, particularly in the Caribbean,” he said yesterday.

“We’re not just feeling it ourselves, nor is just the country, but as the Caribbean as a whole.”

“I think with elections going on right now in the United States, I think people are feeling the pinch of the economy. We are seeing a bit of a softening so we’re at numbers that are at or maybe slightly below last year going into the fall.”

“Booking pace for ‘25 is robust, but not as robust as we would have expected for ‘25, but we are very aggressive in driving value, providing lower rates. We want to drive occupancy and volume to the island and to Baha Mar so we’re very focused. The group pace, as far as meetings and incentives go, we’re very optimistic for 2025. Our booking pace on the group side is very solid.”

Mr Davis highlighted upcoming events at the resort, such as the Derek Jeter Golf Invitational this weekend and the ILTM North America travel trade show that will attract 1,000 top travel agents next week.

In November, Baha Mar will open its new Jazz Club on a casino floor area of 12,000 square feet. The grand opening for the Club will be in January, when “a celebrated artist that will have his name on the Jazz Bar itself” appears, Mr Davis said. Seat capacity will grow from 60 to 280.

“This is an $18m investment we’re making in our casino floor with this new Jazz Club, and we’re excited to have our local jazz musicians and artists that are playing today continue to play with us, and we’ll also have celebrated artists from around the world coming to play as well,” Mr Davis said.