The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM industry stakeholders say the severe snow storm affecting the eastern US had had “minimal” impact on the sector.

The weather, which last week caused thousands of flight cancellations, did not spark any major disruption to flight schedules locally, Tribune Business was told.

Vernice Walkine, the Nassau Airport Development Company’s (NAD)president and chief executive, said via e-mail that the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) had seen minimal disruption to flight schedules.

“We have experienced fairly minimal disruption to schedules,” she said. “Yesterday [Thursday], there were several delays of flights to the Northeast and Midwest, but only one cancellation. Passengers on the cancelled flight were accommodated on flights to other US gateways or elected to remain in Nassau until their non-stop operates,” said Ms Walkine.

She added that there had been a few cancellations on Friday, with flights from JFK and Philadelphia International Airport impacted. “Again, these passengers will have the option of being re-routed to other US gateways proximate to their final destination, where connections can be made as soon as weather permits, or remain in Nassau until their flight operates normally. There are other flights showing delays, which are to be confirmed, weather permitting,” said Ms Walkine.

“Overall, there have been relatively few issues occasioned by the extreme weather in the northeastern US. We continue to monitor the situation.”

The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) president, Stuart Bowe, in an e-mailed statement to Tribune Business, gave a similar report. “Thus far the impact from the snowstorm affecting the United States has been less than we anticipated. While there have been some cancellations due to flight delays and several cancelled flights, we have also seen guests who are in the Bahamas extending their stay by a day,” said Mr Bowe.

“The airlines and the hotels are also working with individuals to reschedule their flights and accommodations, so while we have had a small number of cancellations, we anticipate most of them arriving a day later.”

Robert Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice-president of external and government affairs, told Tribune Business that the hotel industry was grateful the storm had not arrived during the peak Christmas/New Year period.

It had instead arrived during a period when “occupacny traditionally peters out”, and Mr Sands described the impact as “a balancing act” - with guests unable to fly to the Bahamas offset by those forced to remain here.