By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

An Andros bonefishing lodge yesterday attributed a sudden 50 percent uptick in business to Tropical Storm Imelda’s passing.

Cheryl Bastian, proprietor of Swain’s Cay Lodge, told Tribune Business that choosing to remain open during the flat fishing industry’s off-season has paid-off after she and her staff spent two days catering to visitors who came to Mangrove Cay in the hope of escaping the storm’s worst.

“Actually it was a whole airline, a local one. I don’t want to call names. But they brought in like, four or five planes to park here because at the first forecast, it looked like it definitely was going to impact Nassau,” Ms Bastian said.

“And given the flooding, given the stronger impact there, they came to Andros, which at the first set of forecasts, both international and our local forecast, it looked as if Nassau was going to get the full brunt, and basically Andros would be pretty light. And then it switched.

“They were also concerned if they made the right move. But then, as a result of that, Humberto, the hurricane, category four which had formed, with the factors out there, it pulled that storm more eastward. And so it pulled it away from Andros, resulting in better results for all of us and, for us, a positive impact. I mean that we made them so happy they want to come back and we had very good ‘five star’ remarks about their weekend with us.

“We were fortunate to have an airline that brought its plane to Mangrove Cay and the staff stayed here,” Ms Bastian continued. “So, actually, it was an uptick in business. We had two great days of 50 percent occupancy and food and drinks, that sort of thing, when, typically it’d be quiet because the season doesn’t really open for us here for fly fishing.

“We’re a fly fishing lodge until the beginning of October. So that was a nice little windfall. While we regret the level of flooding in Nassau, the country survived. We hope that Abaco fares well. And Florida, one of our big hubs for tourism, was saved as well. So I think we have a lot to be thankful for.”

Swain’s Cay Lodge, which has 12 operational rooms and is undergoing renovations to take the total to 15 rooms, saw eight booked rooms during Imelda. Ms Bastian said that what is normally a slow period became an increase in room occupancy, and an opportunity to convince guests to return not only to Andros but also to Swain’s Cay Lodge, especially in time for the October opening of fly fishing season.

“And they were really good, tipping the staff,” Ms Bastian said. “I mean, while it only affected a few, it’s bright. As a fishing lodge, I’m pretty proactive, using my initiative to go out there and say: ‘There’s a sale on. Come and fill October. Come and do this and that.’

“That’s what we all have to do. You just can’t sit down and look at doom and gloom. Yeah, numbers are down overall, even with our big players. For us, we’re going to stay determined to win it by marketing and sending out e-mail blasts and contacting our customers.

“Most of them were Bahamians, right, but we are a Bahama Out Island Promotion Board property... What we’ve been trying to do to fill some of the hotels on the outer islands is to offer you fly round-trip to any of the islands where we have properties, and you stay for two or more nights, you get a free round-trip ticket,” Ms Bastian added.

“If you stay at one of our hotels, you practically get a free ticket, so you don’t worry about the airline. And so, while you would go to your auntie or your uncle for a funeral or a wedding, why crowd the house? Spend a couple of dollars on a lodge, you get a free ticket, and you can do a getaway. And what a quality way to spend vacation with our children who don’t know our islands and our country.

“So, I got this group excited. They were so pleased that a Bahamian was running a lodge at the quality that they experienced,” she added. “They just weren’t expecting that and then to be able to hear about how they can come back, which they want to do, to stay and get a free ticket and also enjoy the beautiful life of visiting our island. The people here are really switched on and friendly, and they felt the charm. And so that’s what we need to spread.”

“If your shop isn’t open, nobody’s coming in it. And sometimes it’s just me and maybe my cook. I’ll check them in, and I reduce staff with it. But people are going to hear that you’re open, and they inquire, then more and more people are going to come and they’re going to continue,” Ms Bastian said. 

“Traditionally, people are concerned about the hurricanes this time of the year. And that has been a barrier to persons booking. But I tell them if a hurricane or storm is coming, there’s no cancellation fee. Airlines usually work with you, no cancellation fee. You just rebook.

“Because typically we have years where there might be a weekend one is passing through, but for most of the summer... You come over and you have a great time. You know, fly fishing, the flats fish, they don’t like the hot water of the flats. But to work around that, we go out a bit earlier in the morning. You come back here, and then you even reduce the price, which causes people to take an extra trip. So, you have to be innovative and we have to start working this tourism thing a bit better.”