Bahamas Targets 2Mn Air Arrivals For 2024

  • The Bahamas is forecasting that foreign air stopover arrivals will break the two million mark for the first time in 2024 after more than 500,000 visitors landed during the year’s first quarter.
  • The Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation disclosed that foreign air arrivals for the first three months of 2024, which included the peak winter tourism season and most of the Easter weekend, totalled 504,000 for a 7.3% year-over-year increase. Based on this performance, the statement said: “End-of-year foreign air arrivals numbers are forecasted to exceed two million.”
  • The expectation for 2Mn arrivals would represent a 17.6% year-over-year increase on the 1.7Mn air arrivals that visited The Bahamas in 2023. Stopover arrivals are especially important to the tourism industry and the wider economy because they represent the highest-yielding visitor segment, with spending that is typically 28 times greater than that of the average cruise passenger.
  • This data was released as Southwest Airlines disclosed that its new daily non-stop flights will connect Orlando with Nassau at the height of the summer months. The Orlando to Nassau flights will operate from June 4 to August 4.
  • “The expansion of Southwest Airlines’ central Florida route map to include a new daily service to Nassau is another testimony to the Government’s efforts and commitment to grow air stopover arrivals throughout our 16-island destination aggressively,” said  Chester Cooper, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation. “We have been very strategic about driving and expanding strategic partnerships with airlines and our local and international industry partners, including our Promotion Boards and hotel partners”
  • “Part of our expansion includes an ongoing growth strategy in our southern,  central and northern Florida source market, including Orlando, West Palm Beach and Tampa, to attract new airlift to Nassau/Paradise Island, Grand Bahama and our Family Islands.”, Cooper said.

(Source: The Tribune)