The tourism product will take a significant blow following Hurricane Dorian as both Grand Bahama and Abaco are both major sources to the economy at large, but Minister of Tourism Dionisio D’Aguilar is optimistic the product will bounce back.

“Certainly for a number, at least at minimum, we expect there to be a significant decrease in foreign visitors to those islands,” D’Aguilar said.  

“However in Abaco, especially, a lot of the foreign visitors to Abaco are second home owners, so we are expecting a number of them obviously to come in and assess the damages at their second homes and to rebuild as quickly as possible.” 

As for Grand Bahama, the ballroom of the Grand Lucayan Resort was used as a hurricane shelter.

It’s the same property the government is hoping will jumpstart that island’s bruised economy. 

“I’m happy to report that the chairman of the Lucayan Renewal Company, that is the SPV to the government, put that asset into has insured it,” D’Aguilar said.       

“It has full replacement value insurance, so any damage that that hotel incurs, we expect to be able to recoup it through the insurance.

“So we have prepared for the inevitable.  We have planned for it and I think we are ready to move on to that.” 

The minister is convinced tourism arrivals will have a speedy recovery considering the hurricane damage. 

Tourism officials, he said, are working to reassure tourists that Nassau is still open for business.