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Friday, April 24, 2026
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Out Island resorts ‘on the ropes but not out’ By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net FAMILY Island resorts are “on the ropes but not out” following double-digit first quarter declines in room revenues and nights sold, a senior tourism official warned yesterday, as he urged the wider Bahamian tourism industry to “get our act together” to ward-off the cruise ship challenge. Kerry Fountain, the Bahama Out Island Promotion Board’s executive director, told Tribune Business that the collective 21 percent and 11 percent declines in room nights sold and revenues for his member properties during the three months to endMarch 2026 could not be blamed solely on the loss of Silver Airways airlift as “a deeper dive” into the figures had uncovered some “disturbing” trends. He had earlier disclosed this at the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) quarterly
‘Disturbingly’ visitor drop higher than seat losses, data reveals
meeting by revealing data that showed the 2025 decline in visitors flying to Marsh Harbour, one of the top Family Island destinations, from Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach compared to the year before was greater than the fall-off in airline seats. As a result, Mr Fountain argued that The Bahamas - and especially its Family Island hotels - must urgently address a variety of factors besides replacing the
Baha Mar says ‘perfect storms’ drive 14% jump in Q1’s RevPar
annual 135,000 seats lost with Silver Airways’ June 2025 collapse. Measures include bringing hotel sales distribution “into the 21st century” via digital channels and social media marketing, a move made more urgent by artificial intelligence’s (AI) advance and growing deployment, plus delivering “value for money” on customer service and the overall experience.
BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net BAHA Mar’s president yesterday hailed a “record” 2026 first quarter that saw the mega resort generate a 14 percent increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR), as he asserted: “We’ve got some perfect storms that are supporting The Bahamas as the best place to come to.” Graeme Davis told the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) first quarter meeting that March’s average 94 percent occupancy rate was “one of our highest” since Baha Mar opened in 2017, and predicted this momentum will be maintained at least to end-June as “our pace is very strong”. The Cable Brach mega resort’s early 2026 performance was matched by its Paradise
Tour operator blasts ‘mind boggling’ taxi over-charge By NEIL HARTNELL and Annelia Nixon Tribune Business Reporters A BAHAMIAN tour operator yesterday reignited the controversy over ground transportation fares at Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) by accusing taxi drivers of “over-charging” tourists - a situation she described as “mind boggling”. Cheryl Cambridge, proprietor of Cheryl's Bahamas Taxi & Tours, pleaded with the Road Traffic Department and other authorities to intervene as she told the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) quarterly meeting that visitors are “complaining” about having to pay $100
for two persons to take a one-way trip from LPIA to Atlantis. Describing this as “ridiculous”, she asserted that she “doesn’t charge half the price” sought by taxi drivers while branding the matter “a serious problem” that needs to be addressed by government regulatory agencies. Ms Cambridge called on Latia Duncombe, the Ministry of Tourism’s director-general, who was present at the virtual meeting to “get together” with the Road Traffic Department in a bid to resolve the matter. Her accusations, though, not surprisingly sparked a hostile and combative
TRAVEL - See Page B8
GB targets 12-15% stopover rise amid cruise dominance BY NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor nhartnell@tribunemedia.net GRAND Bahama tourism promoters are targeting a 12-15 percent increase in stopover visitors to the island even though “cruise-led investments” are increasingly dominating the sector and driving a more-than-tripling of visitor numbers in early 2026. Jillian Williams, brand representative for the Grand Bahama Island Promotion Board, told the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) quarterly meeting
yesterday that increasing stay-over visitors is among its top “strategic priorities” although there are only 1,314 resort rooms on the island at present and the Grand Lucayan’s redevelopment has yet to truly begin. While acknowledging the “higher economic contribution” made by stopover visitors, in terms of per capita spending compared to their cruise passenger counterparts, she did not provide specifics on how the growth targets will be hit in the Grand Lucayan’s
SAIL - See Page B4
PRESTON DRUMMOND
$180m farming, biotech project pledges 100 jobs
Family Island occupancies unchanged since 1997 at just 41% Bahamas must ‘get act together’ on product to rival cruise lines
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BY FAY SIMMONS Tribune Business Reporter jsimmons@tribunemedia.net
Island-based rival, which told the same meeting that it beat both 2025’s first comparatives and internal budget targets for the three months to end-March. Jackson Weech, the BHTA’s president, who is also vice-president and general manager of the Atlantis Royal Towers, signalled
THE developer proposing a $180m package of agriculture, energy and biotechnology projects yesterday disclosed that they will create 100 full-time jobs with a ground-breaking feasible as early as this summer if all necessary approvals are obtained. Preston Drummond, chief executive and chairman of Nassau-based Rock Island Financial, who is leading the initiative, told Tribune Business that the required financing for the projects - many of which will be located in Andros - has already been secured through international partners. He explained that, at the centre of the push, is a North Andros-based development combining high-tech farming, food processing and renewable energy, backed by private capital and positioned as a response to long-standing Bahamian food security and cost challenges. “We have 100 percent of the funding in place,” said Mr Drummond. “The funding comes through two NGOs, and myself and my partners are the stewards of that capital.” “We have the teams for the solar and battery systems, the farm, cold storage and biotech components. We have the plans, and now we need to work with the Government on approvals.” The identities of the two non-profits, or NGOs, was not disclosed. Mr Drummond said once approvals are obtained, construction could begin within months. “From our perspective, we are ready to go,” he said. “We would ideally like to break ground as early as this summer.” He added that the development is expected to generate both direct
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INNOVATE - See Page B9
KERRY FOUNTAIN And the Out Island Promotion Board chief asserted that upgrading the on-island guest experience is something that the wider Bahamian tourism industry must swiftly tackle otherwise it will “chase more and more” of its more lucrative stopover visitors - who spend on average 29 times’ more than cruise arrivals - into becoming passengers on these vessels.
COMPETE - See Page B7
Mega resort hails ‘record numbers’ for early 2026 Matched by Atlantis which ‘very, very bullish’ on Q3 ‘Shortening booking window’ on Middle East fears