The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

SEVERAL major Nassau-based hotels are anticipating high occupancies for the Easter period, one senior executive telling Tribune Business: “We are absolutely solidly booked”.

Robert Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice-president of governmental and executive affairs, told Tribune Business: “For the Easter period we are absolutely solidly booked for both properties.

“It still looks encouraging up until the end of April, which is the traditional winter season. The booking pattern is still short-term,” said Mr Sands, adding that room rates at the two Baha Mar properties - the Sheraton and the Wyndham - were satisfactory but “could always be higher”.

The British Colonial Hilton’s, director of operations Jermaine Wright, told Tribune Business: “We are projected to be sold out during the upcoming Easter weekend. The hotel’s high occupancy is a combination of group business along with guests enjoying the Easter holidays.

“This year is in line with last year; we traditionally are sold out during the Easter period.”

Patrick Drake, Sandals Royal Bahamian’s general manager, told Tribune Business that the all-inclusive couples resort was running at 80 per cent occupancy.

“We have our reunion week so it’s a big week for the hotel, because we do something for all of our returning guests,” he said.

“That’s our main feature for Easter. However, we are fairly steady with some groups and some wedding business, but we are not full by any means. We are running at about 80 per cent.”

Managing director of Kerzner International (Bahamas), George Markantonis, recently told Tribune Business that Atlantis was eyeing an  “exceptional” March with “across the board” occupancies in the low-mid 80 per cent ranges.

“We’re sold out. That’s the simple story. We don’t have any [rooms] available over the Easter week,” Mr Markantonis told Tribune Business, acknowledging that Easter’s early arrival had created “a huge pressure point” when it came to the availability of room inventory.