By Annelia Nixon

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Tour operators yesterday predicted an uptick in business for next week’s Thanksgiving holiday as the aviation industry shrugs off the impact from the recent US government shutdown and flight cancellations.

“Cautiously optimistic,” Astra Charlton, director of business development at My Own Water Sports, said. She added that the company’s year-to-date sales have increased by 1 percent. However, its month-to-date figures show a 40 percent decline compared to the same period last year. Ms Charlton, though, said it expects an uptick in business during Thanksgiving week.

“We are able to see the bookings for the remainder of November, and there are signs of an uptick during the Thanksgiving week period,” she said. “The only thing is that we're not sure that those numbers would be even sufficient to surpass last year's total sales performance for November or last year's Thanksgiving sales as well.

“But we are confident that, you know, the uptick that we do see would give us some momentum as we approach the holiday travelling season, and we're confident at this time that that would be more favourable.

“As you know, 90 percent of our customers are from the United States, so the performance in sales for November, it just may be a direct reflection of the economic conditions in the US. The events like the US shutdown, we think, most likely played a role in consumer confidence and travel spending during the period of November so far.”

Cheryl Cambridge, a taxi and tour operator, and owner of Cheryl's Bahamas Taxi and Tours, said that while business is slow - possibly slower than last year - she is fortunate to have repeat customers coming for Thanksgiving. She also attributed her company’s “survival” to her Bahamas Travel & Sustainability Award for best taxi driver in The Bahamas.

“I'm surviving because this time of year, I have a lot of repeat customers coming for Thanksgiving,” Ms Cambridge said. “But there's no extra. There are only a few extra.

“For September and October, things were a bit down. I guess the people in the tourism industry are watching how they [tourists] spend their money, hoping that this Thanksgiving, things pick up a bit. But it is down from last year around the same time. I can feel it in my pocket.

“I had a good year last year. But things are good for me, especially when I won that award. And if people went on Facebook, they booked with me. They say things like: ‘I saw you on Facebook. I saw you won an award.’ So that has helped me a lot, too.”

Phillipa Lightbourn, of Exuma Water Sports, said the operator expects to be busy this Thanksgiving as sales and booking seem to be matching November 2024. She added that the closure of the Sandals Resort Emerald Bay is a factor working against the company, but added it is making up the numbers through visitors staying at other hotels.

Ms Lightbourn said she sees an increase through Christmas. Delta Airlines had not been flying to Exuma for a few months, resulting in a “downturn”, but she expects more business once Sandals reopens its planned Beaches Resort aa this will increase airlift to Exuma.

Kate Nottage, first mate for My Bahamas Private Tours & Excursions, said from Thanksgiving onward business is expected to pick up. “We're going into our second year of operation,” she said. “So November wasn't bad last year, but I would say this year is definitely more. But I don't know if that's based on trends, or if that's just because our name is getting out there more.”