by Jim Byers
Last updated: 6:04 PM ET, Tue April 28, 2020
The Bahamas has done well with COVID-19, but a country that's extremely reliant on tourism is eagerly awaiting the day when Canadians and Americans can again arrive on its sunny shores.
Bahamas Tourism Minister Dionisio D'Aguilar took part in our Facebook Live chat on Tuesday, sitting down for a remote one-on-one chat with TravelPulse Canada Editor-in-Chief John Kirk.
"We have a small number of COVID-19 cases in the country that have resulted in approximately 11 deaths," D'Aguilar said. "It is somewhat under control and we are pleased with the progress of containing the virus and the spread of it.
D'Aguilar noted there 700 islands in the Bahamas but COVID-19 has been found on only three; Nassau, Grand Baham and Bimini.
"We're one of the most tourism dependent countries in world. Just over 40% of our GDP is generated from tourism. Fifty per cent of employment is attributable to tourism, and when you add indirect employment it's 60 to 70%. Last year we had a record 7.2 million international visitors and now we're down to zero. So the economic impact of this is huge. It's causing untold stress.
"We're all sitting on the edge of our seat waiting to get on the other side of this."
Of course, destinations can only get visitors when other countries have recovered economically from the pandemic. In the case of the Bahamas, 82% of foreign visitors are from the US and seven per cent from Canada. Both countries are just beginning to open parts of their economy after a long lockdown. And even once travel restrictions are lifted, not everyone is going to want to go on a vacation, D'Aguilar said.
One issue is how the Bahamas attracts visitors and makes them feel it's a safe destination. As well, the minister noted, the government has to assure its residents that visiting foreigners won't make them sick.
"Tourism is a contact sport," he said. "There's a lot of personal touch."
D'Aguilar said some visitors might look at the big resorts on Nassau and feel it's too big a risk to be around so many other people. But the Bahamas is great for those types of visitors because it also offers off up beautiful, sparsely populated islands such as Eleuthera, Andros and Exuma, "where you might just be the only person on the beach."
The minister said the Bahamas has many advantages, including proximity to Canada (a three hour flight from Toronto or less), an English-speaking population and beautiful weather all year long,
"Our crystal-clear waters and beautiful beaches are things the travelling public will be looking for," he said. "And we need you to come. We invite you with wide and open arms."
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