By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Marina operators yesterday voiced mixed predictions for the 2025-2026 winter season following “a pretty dead” US Labour Day holiday weekend where many endured half their normal occupancy levels.

Peter Maury, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) president, told Tribune Business that the past weekend - which typically marks the end of the summer boating season - was “way off” compared to the same period in prior years with many marinas suffering occupancies of 20-30 percent as opposed to the 60-70 percent they have become accustomed to.

But, while Mr Maury attributed the drop-off to the “confusion” surrounding the new and increased boating fees introduced via the Budget on July 1, not all operators reported a business decline. John MacDonald, president of Island Ventures Resort and Club (IVRC), which is still operating the Old Bahama Bay resort, said it has experienced no fall in volumes or any cancellations since the changes.

He voiced optimism that the boating market will ultimately settle down and get used to the revised cruising permit fees, plus the new fishing permit and anchorage fees and associated charges, and disclosed that there has been “an awful lot of interest and applications” from vessels visiting Old Bahama Bay for the newly-introduced two-year frequent digital cruising card (FDCC).

However, others remain fearful for what the future holds once the winter boating season launches in November. Molly McIntosh, the Bluff House Beach Resort and Marina’s top management executive, told this newspaper she is “concerned” for the resort’s “normally sold-out” fishing tournament that is held annually in May.

She said the tournament is often the only yearly Bahamas trip for many boating attendees, and added that she has already “heard a little sip sip” that some may decide not to return because the fee increases are deemed “too heavy a price to pay”. As one-time visitors, they will not be able to obtain products such as the FDCC that promise easier access and clearance into The Bahamas.

Both Ms McIntosh and Mr Maury separately described the Labour Day weekend as “pretty dead” for their respective marinas and other operators. The ABM chief suggested that demand for The Bahamas as a boating destination is unlikely to improve amid the ongoing fall-out caused by the new and revised cruising permit and other fees.

“Most of the marinas were empty,” Mr Maury, who also operates Bay Street Marina, told Tribune Business. “I think Atlantis said they had five boats, and Hurricane Hole [Paradise Landing] was probably the same. I do storage, so we have a lot of boats stay with us year-round, but for transient business we probably had half a dozen transient boats.

“We were usually busy up until the last week of summer. A lot of times, most of the marinas have occupancies of 60-70 percent. Obviously it’s not like a holiday [Christmas] type of occupancy, but it was still a lot better.” However, for this US Labour Day weekend, Mr Maury said occupancy levels were at 20-30 percent for many marinas, with destinations such as Bimini relatively empty.

“It was real slow,” he reiterated. “I just think people are really discouraged. It’s just a lot of stuff going on, and it seems like all the confusion and the new rates and the cruising card. It’s just so disorganised, and I heard that people are having so many different experiences. It’s hard to deal with it; it’s hard to explain what’s going on.”

Mr Maury said boaters are still unable to apply for the frequent digital cruising card (FDCC) online, although he credited Customs officers for being helpful and “tolerant for the most part” in facilitating persons who possess paper copies. He added, though, that such experiences are not consistent across-the-board.

“Everybody’s reporting the same thing,” the ABM president said. “It’s just lower occupancies. We should be fighting for the higher occupancies and better tourism for all Out Island communities.... We were off, way off, for Labour Day. It was pretty much a non-event for those of us in the marinas.

“There weren’t a lot of boats in The Bahamas. The central Bahamas and southern Bahamas suffered a lot. I don’t know what their percentage was, but for the people I talked to down south the marinas were empty - Cat Island, Long Island and even in the Exumas.”

Mr McDonald, though, struck a more positive tone over the performance of his resort’s marina located at Grand Bahama’s West End. While acknowledging that Bimini has been hit hardest by the fee hikes and other reforms, due to its proximity to Florida and attraction to smaller, lower budget vessels that visit infrequently, he revealed his property has yet to feel any impact.

“While we’ve heard a couple of people voice opinions in not such a good way, we have not had any decrease in business nor have we had any cancellations because of it,” Mr McDonald told Tribune Business. “I know people who own resorts in Bimini similar to ours and Bimini is getting hit harder.

“We’ve been watching it. I spoke to James Culmer, our general manager, about it last week and we have not seen any decrease in business and not seen cancellations because of it... knock on wood. My wife and I went to the Abacos for a couple of weeks and we didn’t really see any major decrease in business there.

“I believe it’s the different types and styles of boater - the smaller boats afforded by young couples and families that are much more budget oriented. That’s why Bimini is getting hit hard. They are only one hour away from Miami.”

Mr McDonald said there are also signs that reforms such as the frequent digital cruising card (FDCC) are gaining traction with visiting boaters. This will facilitate “unlimited visits for a period not exceeding two years”, and is designed to entice vessels to visit The Bahamas more often via discounted rates and the promise of easier Customs and Immigration clearance.

“We’ve got Customs and Immigration on-site there, and we’ve had an awful lot of interest and applications being filled out for the two-year cruising card,” he added. “It’s a double-edged sword. If you’re not coming in a lot that $1,000 fee for a bigger boat is quite a lot, but if you’re coming quite a bit you end up saving money. Hopefully it makes it more convenient and easier coming in.”

And, in contrast to other marinas, Mr McDonald said Old Bahama Bay had enjoyed “the best Labour Day for many years” aided by the weather which assisted boater crossings from Florida. However, Ms McIntosh said marina business was “very, very slim” at the Bluff House with just four to five boats present during the US holiday weekend.

“We had a good season before that,” she said. “April, May, June, July and even the first weekend in August were better than normal. But, asked what impacted the Labour Day weekend performance, Ms McIntosh replied: “I think the fees going up.

“I’m concerned for my fishing tournament next year. I normally sell out for that. I’m concerned some people may decide not to come. The tournament is normally booked out; all of my rooms and most of my slips.

“But, for some of those people, it is their only trip to The Bahamas, and they may say it is too heavy a price to pay to come over for that day. I’ve heard a little sip sip about that so I am a little concerned but still hopeful. We are getting a lot of bookings for Christmas and Thanksgiving, but those are not boaters; they are flying in,” Ms McIntosh said.

“We’ve had good business for the slow time of year. It was maybe a bit disappointing for the Labour Day holiday weekend, but it’s not going to affect the whole year.” Mr Maury said he and other Bahamian marinas will have a better idea of what to expect for the 2025-2026 winter season when he attends a conference and presentation by the International Yacht Brokers Association this week.

“Last year we didn’t have such a great rapport with some of the people in the industry,” he added. “Several big companies boycotted us. It’s just easier to go to other places; that’s what we’re finding. The more you hurt tourism, the more likely they are to find somewhere else...

“Who wants to go on vacation and deal with all these issues such as getting a frequent digital cruising card? It’s supposed to make it easier and it’s not. People are looking for simpler. The whole world has turned to Artificial Intelligence and efficiency, and here we are making it harder and harder. People don’t want that. People want to enjoy their time off and use the money they make.”

The frequent digital cruising card fees are tied to the yacht or boat’s length. Those 34 feet or less have to pay $1,500 for an FDCC, while those greater than 34 feet but less than 100 feet have to pay $2.500, and those exceeding 100 feet, $8,000.

Meanwhile, the fees for a temporary cruising permit are also tied to the same lengths. A vessel that is 34 feet or less has to pay $500 “for a period not exceeding 12 months”, while the fees for those greater than 34 feet and less than 100 feet, and over 100 feet, are being set at $1,000 and $3,000, respectively for the same period. They will also cover Customs and Immigration attendance costs.

Mr Maury said the prior cruising permit for a vessel less than 34 feet in length is $300, so that has increased by two-thirds or 67 percent while the present $500 levy for boats between 34 feet to 100 feet is doubled.

The temporary cruising permit allows a “pleasure vessel” to enter The Bahamas’ twice within 30 days. And, if a pleasure vessel carries more than three passengers, every additional one above the age of six - and who is a non-resident of The Bahamas - will be subject to a $30 per head tax under the Passenger Tax.

The Government, in splitting out the fishing permit fee into a separate levy, and not incorporating it with the cruise permit fee, has set this at $100 and $300 for vessels not exceeding, and exceeding, 34 feet respectively.

Finally, the new anchorage fees for vessels not mooring at a marina are pegged at $200 for a vessel not exceeding 34 feet; $350 for those between 34 feet and 100 feet; and $1,500 for those over 100 feet.