The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

TOURISM Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper said FNM leader Michael Pintard ignored multiple invitations to meet with tourism officials to discuss the industry’s economic impact despite publicly questioning the country’s ability to increase stopover visitors.

Mr Cooper’s comments came after Mr Pintard told reporters that while he welcomes last year’s rise in cruise visitors, he is concerned that stopover arrivals — particularly from Florida — have remained stagnant. He said he had previously urged Mr Cooper to implement a strategic plan to increase these numbers.

Mr Cooper dismissed Mr Pintard’s remarks as “political nonsense” and “mischief.” He said he had invited Mr Pintard to meet with tourism officials on multiple occasions to gain a deeper understanding of the industry.

“The invitation remains open to him,” he said on the sidelines of a SpaceX press conference. 

“I suspect he feels that if he gets a full understanding, it might remove some of the urge to be politically mischievous, and no doubt he thinks that that’s his role in opposition.” 

Mr Cooper has said that increasing stopover arrivals requires more hotel room capacity, particularly in the Family Islands, where limited accommodations remain challenging.

“Maybe the leader of the Opposition can go and invest in some hotels and encourage others, if he wishes to be helpful,” he said. 

He said government is working to boost stopover arrivals, but wants Bahamians to understand what is needed for sustained growth. He highlighted an initiative to add 15,000 new hotel rooms over the next decade to double the country’s accommodations. 

On February 5, Mr Cooper announced 2024 tourism figures, revealing that more than 11 million air and sea visitors came to The Bahamas — a 16.2 percent increase from 9.7m in 2023.

Of the 11.22m total visitors, foreign air arrivals exceeded 1.72 million, matching 2023 figures and surpassing 2019 levels by 3.3 percent. December was the strongest month, with 1.15m  visitors — 14 percent higher than in 2023 and 62 percent above 2019.

For stopover visitors, Mr Cooper estimated an average spend of $2,800 per guest. He also noted an increase in average daily hotel rates, an indicator of stopover spending. Stopover guests typically stay for six to seven days.

“Our estimates suggest that when we add direct employment, taxes and levies, the overall benefit exceeds $1.25bn with overall tourist spending in the $6bn range,” he said.