According to a recent report compiled by the Grand Bahama International Airport, the decrease represents a 30 percent falloff in air arrivals, and speaks to a challenge in airlift to the island which officials are diligently trying to overcome, Executive Vice President of the Grand Bahama Port Authority Barry Malcolm said.
Terrance Roberts, director in the Ministry of Tourism on Grand Bahama, explained that the falloff also continues to be directly linked to the closure of the Royal Oasis Resort, which resulted in more than 1,000 fewer available hotel rooms.
The airport’s report noted that fewer carriers are operating flights to Grand Bahama.
Bahamasair for instance flew 146 or 14.9 percent fewer international flights to and from GBIA between January and July compared to the first seven months of 2004, and carried 15,447 fewer passengers as well.
Continental Express, which commenced service to the island in December 2003, saw a 45 percent falloff in the number of international flights operated during the period, carrying 6,355 fewer passengers than the same period last year, according to the report.
Additionally, air carriers like Falcon Air and Laker Airways, which were both at one time leased by the Royal Oasis Resort, ceased operations to Freeport, having brought in 60,412 and 16,506 international passengers respectively between January and July last year.
In contrast, the only airline servicing Grand Bahama to see an increase in international passengers was Gulfstream Airlines, whose passenger load jumped by 4,652, according to the report.
Meantime on the domestic front at GBIA, Western Air saw its passenger numbers jump by 45.8 percent, flying 13,555 more passengers this period compared to Bahamasair, which according to the report saw a decrease in business, flying 4,424 fewer passengers.
One of the hindrances to securing more airlift to Freeport is said to be landing fees levied by the GBIA. They are reportedly among the highest in the region.
While a guest on the Love97 programme, “Issues of the Day”, recently, Mr. Malcolm explained that operations at the island’s airport are funded entirely by the port.
“The cost of landing fees or the cost of operating out of Freeport [are] issues that we are discussing with government and are issues that have to be worked out,” he said.
As for a potential sale and reopening of the Royal Oasis Resort – which officials believe is critical to turning around the decline in tourist arrivals this year – Mr. Malcolm said talks are underway with a serious buyer for the property.
He did not however disclose the identity of the prospective buyer; neither did Minister of Financial Services and Investments Allyson Maynard Gibson when recently questioned by the Journal on the matter.
Minister Maynard Gibson indicated only that talks with one of the prospective buyers were “intricate”.
Owners of the Royal Oasis Resort closed the property nearly one year ago following Hurricane Frances.
By: Sharon Williams, The Bahama Journal
