May 13, 2020
Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar.
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Minister hails cruise tourism ‘tipping point’
A Cabinet minister yesterday hailed “a tipping point” for tourism and the wider economy as the first cruise line to ever home port in The Bahamas unveiled its multi-island schedule for summer 2021.
Over 125,000 applications for travel health visas in the past four months
OVER 100,000 people have applied to the Ministry of Tourism for travel health visas to enter The Bahamas over the past four months, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday.
Minister tells cruise lines: ‘Don’t dump’ on Nassau
A Cabinet minister yesterday urged the cruise lines to “not dump on the destination” given that they often created “insurmountable thresholds” for Bahamian entrepreneurs to do business with them.
D’Aguilar: Things will improve by third quarter
WITH the continued roll-out of several COVID-19 vaccines abroad, Tourism Minister Dionisio d’Aguilar said yesterday he expects “things will begin to improve” in the country’s tourism industry by the third quarter of the year.
BIDEN DELIVERS CRIPPLING BLOW: New President unveils quarantine rule which will devastate tourism
UNITED States President Joe Biden yesterday signed an executive order requiring travellers to quarantine on arrival to the US, potentially dealing what Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar says could be a devastating blow to the Bahamian economy.
50,000 travel visas show scale of tourism drop
ABOUT 50,000 people bought travel health visas to enter The Bahamas in December, suggesting arrivals declined by more than 90 percent compared with December 2019 despite relaxed entry requirements.
D’Aguilar: Tourism numbers show we’re a glimmer of our former self
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday said he is not happy with the country’s tourism arrival numbers since border restrictions were softened, adding the pandemic has made fewer people want to travel.
D’Aguilar: More than 20,000 bought health visas
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said 20,485 people bought travel health visas to enter the country last month as border restrictions were relaxed to encourage tourism amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister: 'Consequences' for missing COVID tests
A Cabinet minister has warned there will be "consequences" for visitors and residents who fail to adhere to the new COVID-19 testing regime, adding: "Why would you not comply?"
D’Aguilar - PLP is all criticism, but no plan
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday defended the government’s decision to restart the tourism industry next month against criticisms from the opposition party, saying he has yet to hear a plan from the PLP.
Minister 'begs for patience' over tourism's re-opening
A Cabinet minister yesterday "begged for patience" from tourism industry stakeholders and workers as he warned that the sector's COVID-19 recovery will be extremely slow.
Resort delays 'not a complete surprise'
DAYS after several major resorts announced they will not reopen on October 15, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday admitted the news was not a complete surprise to officials as hotel operators had already indicated their intent to resume operations after the US election in November.
Bahamasair's cash burn at $7m on 'deeper dive'
A "deeper dive" has revealed Bahamasair is burning through $7m per month in what one Cabinet minister yesterday described as a "vexing" problem for taxpayers and the Public Treasury.
COVID alters Grand Lucayan agreement
A Cabinet minister is still “optimistic” the Grand Lucayan’s sale and redevelopment will proceed even though COVID-19 may make the deal look much different to its original version. Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, told Tribune B
Cruise lines urged: Come to our cities once you return
A Cabinet minister yesterday promised to “encourage” the cruise lines to visit The Bahamas’ major cities immediately upon the resumption of sailing despite the sector’s preference for its private islands.
Tourism 'cannot' return amid surge
The Bahamas “cannot” relaunch its vital tourism industry until the latest COVID-19 outbreak is contained and a “strict 14-day quarantine” regime in place, a Cabinet minister warned yesterday. Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, war
U-turn on tests for hotel stays
THE government reversed its position prohibiting Bahamians from staying at hotels during lockdown weekends unless they produce a negative COVID-19 test result less than 24-hours after the move was announced.
Grand Bahama case count rises 32 as New Providence slows down
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar confirmed last night that Bahamians who want to have a vacation and stay in a hotel will be required to have a negative COVID test in just the same fashion as visitors arriving from outside the country.
D'Aguilar apologises to couples for inconvenience
TOURISM Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar yesterday apologised for the inconvenience caused to all couples who were scheduled to get married last weekend, saying the government should have informed people in advance about the option to request for a weddin
Atlantis may remain shut until November
ATLANTIS is considering postponing its reopening until November, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday.
'Body blow' for tourism restart
The tourism industry’s revival has suffered “a body blow” by the continued Atlantis and cruise industry uncertainty, a Cabinet minister has conceded, as commercial travel to the US was yesterday cut-off. Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and a
Cruise tourism jobs 'simply evaporated'
A Cabinet minister yesterday conceded all cruise tourism-dependent jobs have “simply evaporated for the time being” as he revealed that one major line suggested the industry might not relaunch until mid-November.Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of touris
COVID testing change may hit tourist opening
A Cabinet minister yesterday conceded that maintaining the existing COVID-19 testing requirements for tourists entering The Bahamas could negatively impact both travel decisions and hotel re-openings.Dionisio D’Aguilar, pictured, minister of tourism
Tourists need negative COVID-19 test from July 1
TOURISTS who come to the country when commercial international travel resumes on July 1 will have to present a negative COVID-19 test.
Ministers to rescue on tourism's 'rocky start'
Ministerial intervention yesterday overcame “a rocky start” to the tourism industry’s re-opening after Bahamas Customs failed to appear at multiple marinas to clear incoming boats and yachts Peter Maury, the Association of Bahamas Marinas (ABM) pres
Baha Mar eyeing 15-20% job cuts
A Cabinet minister yesterday conceded it is “deeply concerning” that Baha Mar has delayed its re-opening amid plans to make “additional staffing reductions” that could result in hundreds losing their jobs. Dionisio D’Aguilar, pictured , minister of
COVID-19 rise 'inevitable' with tourism's reopening
Requiring visitors to take a COVID-19 test before they enter The Bahamas is “a non-starter”, a Cabinet minister argued yesterday, while warning that the tourism industry’s July 1 re-opening will “inevitably” increase cases. Dionisio D’Aguilar, minis
Tourism payroll given $2m more than needed
A Cabinet minister has admitted that his ministry's payroll was over-budgeted by $2.5m for the 2019-2020 fiscal year and has now been returned to normal levels by the new Budget.
Minister: Bahamas Ltd 'must get going again'
The Bahamas “can’t afford” to keep its tourism industry shut any longer, a Cabinet minister warned yesterday, as he admitted that the threat posed by COVID-19 can only be “mitigated, not eliminated”.Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviatio
Foreign visitors will not face quarantine
THE Minnis administration is still considering whether it will require tourists to produce a negative PCR test result to gain entry into the country but have ruled out visitors being forced into quarantine.
D'Aguilar: We're still working on tourist protocols
OFFICIALS are still formulating protocols visitors will have to follow to gain entry into the country once the borders are reopened, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar said yesterday.He also said the Ministry of Tourism plans to launch “a very compr
Bahamas targets January 1 launch for overflight fees
The Bahamas is aiming to levy fees on aircraft flying through Bahamian airspace by January 1, 2021, a Cabinet minister revealed yesterday, adding: “We think we’re close to a solution.”
Luciano's closure makes tourism start 'more critical'
The closure of Luciano’s restaurant, and loss of 72 jobs, makes it “even more critical to open our tourism industry as rapidly as possible”, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviation, speaking after George
Marinas 'chomping at bit' to lead re-opening
Bahamian marinas are “chomping at the bit” to re-open before the wider tourism industry in a bid to make multi-million dollar inroads into the lucrative yacht charter market, it was revealed yesterday.Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism and aviat
‘Focus is to get tourism industry back on track’
THE government is looking at several dates to resume tourism operations in the country, Tourism Minister Dionisio D’Aguilar revealed yesterday.
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