The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

AS A long-time regular visitor and winter resident of Nassau from Toronto I have been following your ongoing articles and letters concerning the entry requirements for The Bahamas. The Finance Minister keeps making financial projections for tourism and The Tourism Minister keeps making ongoing rules. Yet the people affected by these rules – your prospective visitors– largely remain unconsulted.

It would be helpful if the officials making the harsh entry requirements actually came to Canada and other countries from which your visitors are drawn and attempted to carry out the requirements. The latest directive is for COVID-19 tests to be required for entry and they must be no older than five days. Even ten days can be difficult when there are very few health centres, if any, who will give such tests to healthy persons just for travel. What thought was given to that in Nassau before the directives were given? Even if tests were allowed how can all this be done in coordination with the few flights available? Has any thought been given as to the time this takes for busy working people who simply want to go on a holiday break?

People are usually required to wait for two to three days for a written result having to take time once again to pick up the result. This will in large cities require paying for parking yet again and taking time from work or busy schedules. Then the result has to be scanned to Nassau for a Health Visa with no idea how long that will take to be returned.

Who wants to buy an air ticket and secure accommodation when you are uncertain whether you can actually travel to Nassau in the five to ten day time frame? Has it ever occurred to your officials the reason why so few are coming to The Bahamas as a result of these poorly thought out measures? No wonder Air Canada has cancelled nearly all their flights. Very few are able to comply.

After periods of restrictions at home visitors do not want to be forced into quarantine on a holiday. They want to be free to move around and enjoy the activities. This is one of the main reasons why your country has been such a favored destination by Canadians and no doubt other countries over the years. Come in and be restricted and face additional expensive tests at your expense is another doomed initiative.

It is one thing to bark out orders to prospective visitors. It is another thing to get them to actually comply with them. There are too many other destinations in warm sunny areas actively looking for business with far fewer restrictions and tests at the host’s expense on arrival. Why bother with The Bahamas? I hope common sense will prevail very quickly or there will be no tourism and your economy will be very seriously affected for a very long time. Regular visitors will be forced to go elsewhere, like the new destination and never return to The Bahamas.

After a lifetime coming to Nassau I just cannot imagine not returning for regular visits. Sadly your Government officials are forcing people to look to other resort destinations.

GEORGE HITCHCOCK

Canada,

September 30, 2020.