Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association

A leading Bahamian tour operator yesterday said its 2010 forward bookings were already up 30 to 50 per cent year-over-year for the entire Bahamas, following what its managing director for Europe described as a 20 per cent decline last year.

As a precaution, a Tsunami Watch was issued earlier today for The Bahamas following a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti and reportedly has now been lifted.  The Bahamas Meteorological Department and NEMA (the National Emergency Management Agency) are closely monitoring the southern islands this evening to determine what if any impact will be felt and is in close communication with the Ministry of Tourism.  Should the monitoring show any cause for concern we will advise accordingly. 

We advise that assurances be given to guests and potential guests. 

There should be be no cause for panic.

The number of Chinese workers being brought in to work on the Baha Mar project is irrelevant, former Chamber head Dionisio D'Aguilar has told The Nassau Guardian, given the much-needed psychological boost it will provide businesses.

Baha Mar's two existing Cable Beach resorts are only still open because their owner's family has used their own money to cover "significant multi-million dollar losses", particularly over the last two years, something that has made the Izmirlians the "largest private investor in the history of the Bahamas".