The number of tourists visiting the island of Grand Bahama is on the rise. The increase is expected to last through December.
Owner of JAGS International, Sen. the Hon. James Turner spoke with ZNS news on the topic. He said, “Margaritaville was doing really good during the month of September and Balearia was holding their own as well in Bimini and Grand Bahama. But as you all would know, during the week of Hurricane Dorian our largest provider of business to Grand Bahama, Margaritaville, diverted their ships away from Grand Bahama just as a precautionary measure. So we lost about four or five days but I gat to tell you that they came back roaring when they came back. I will tell you that we have not seen a day below eleven hundred passengers during the month of September on that ship. I can tell you after speaking with their management they’re please because we know the month of October should not see one day with less than one thousand passengers coming specifically to Grand Bahama.”
On the contrary, overnight stays need more attention. Turner said, “now we don’t have the hotel inventory that we’d really like to have but we do have something inventory. You gat Viva, you gat Lucaya still somewhat limping along, and you gat Pelican Bay that has always holding their own. So we do have a conversation that ought to be had to drive more overnight stays to Grand Bahama. But in the meantime, those over one thousand day passengers are great for the cab drivers, they’re great for Port Lucaya, they’re great for the vendors and they’re certainly going to help our economy.”
Sen. Turner encouraged those in the tourism industry on Grand Bahama saying this is a time for Grand Bahamians to deliver a service that is unparalleled anywhere in the world.
