The Bahamas Beats Pre-COVID Tourism Volumes By 25.8%

• The Bahamas has finally beaten pre-COVID tourism volumes as higher-spending stopover visitor arrivals for September exceeded 2019 numbers by almost 26%.
• Aided by the removal of COVID-related restrictions that impacted 2021’s performance, and continued pent-up travel demand in the US, the Central Bank said: “Tourism sector output remained buoyant, bolstered by healthy growth in the high value-added air segment and recovered sea traffic given the relaxed pandemic restrictions and pent-up demand for travel in the key source market.”
• With COVID restrictions now lifted, total visitor arrivals were said to be up 403% year-over-year largely due to the cruise industry’s resumption. That sector was completely shut down until June-July 2021 and, as a result, 2022 sea arrivals to The Bahamas for the nine months to end-September were some 1,033.2% up on last year. Air arrivals are 73.4% ahead. Meanwhile, visitor departures for the first nine months of 2022 were some 83.7% ahead of the prior year. Those to the US were up 69.3%, while departures to other destinations rose 301.6%.
• Meanwhile, acknowledging that The Bahamas remains caught in an inflationary spiral. “Average domestic consumer price inflation - as measured by the All Bahamas Retail Price Index - increased to 5.1% during the 12 months to September from 2% in the same period of 2021,” it said.

(Source: The Tribune)