Grand Bahama Island is experiencing a significant milestone in its tourism sector, as Sunwing Airlines brought in several hundred passengers over the past week. This serves as a major turning point for the island, which has faced challenges in recent years due to the impact of Hurricane Dorian and the global pandemic.
After years of rebuilding, Grand Bahama is once again proving that it’s a top destination for visitors.
According to the Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation the Hon. Chester Cooper, the influx of passengers from Sunwing Airlines is a clear sign of a bright future for local businesses, the hospitality sector, and the community of Grand Bahama.
“We started Sunwing about two years ago into Grand Bahama, and it’s doing exceedingly well,” he said. We’re doing two flights a week from Toronto and Montreal. Initially, Toronto was to be here from December to April, but the demand was so good that they determined they will do it on a full-year basis. We expect the Montreal flights to even stay beyond April as well this year.
“In January alone, we had about 1,500 passengers coming into Grand Bahama, and last year we had about 11,000, which was almost 100% ahead of the 2023 arrivals on Sunwing. So, this is a big deal for Grand Bahama.”
Minister Cooper expressed confidence that this growth will continue, benefiting the local economy and creating new opportunities for residents.
“We know stopover visitors tend to spend somewhere in the region of $2500 in Grand Bahama per passenger, so that’s an economic impact directly into the economy and the pockets of hotels, restaurants, vendors, and hair braiders.
“We hope that this trend is going to continue, but January is very strong, and this is great for our Canadian market. We’re growing in the number and percentage of guests coming out of Canada,” he said.
Such positive outcomes are a direct result of the partnership between the government and Sunwing Airlines, which has played a significant role in revitalizing Grand Bahama, creating lasting opportunities for the community, and ensuring a bright future for the island.
