Grand Bahama is in need of a brand and owners that are able to "put the destination back on the map", General Manager of Pelican Bay Resort Magnus Alnebeck told ZNS in Grand Bahama recently, changing the narrative about the state of the island's airport being the largest hindrance.
Alnebeck contended that driver of interest can also be a Bahamian contingent once they have "the ideas and energy to see it through".
He explained that Sandals' purchase of the former Four Seasons property and its luring of major airlines to the island is what a landmark property or properties could do for Grand Bahama.
We don't really have the product in Grand Bahama that is driving the airlift," said Alnebeck.
"It was very different when Sunwing was operating their own hotel being Memories, because then we had a driver, and we got a lot of momentum out of that. We also had a spring in summer airlift with Vacation Express, which is part of Sunwing, which helped out a lot. It's that sort of player that we need back in the destination. We need a brand that is driving the destination."
He touted Sandals Resorts International's ability to convince US and Canadian airlines to open routes to Exuma, driving business to all properties on the island.
"The interesting thing about the Exumas is that there was a Four Seasons hotel there, which is arguably one of the leading brands in the world, and it failed. And it was closed for about two years.
"And in comes Sandals, takes it over, runs the sandals with 90 percent occupancy, gets Delta, Air Canada, WestJet and American. And now you see everything else happening down there."
A developer for the Grand Bahama International Airport has been identified. It is a consortium headed by a group of Bahamians. Work on the airport is expected to begin shortly.
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