Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas. (PHOTO: RCI)
NASSAU, BAHAMAS With Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas on target to set sail June 12 on its historic inaugural Nassau homeporting voyage, the company’s vice president today predicted a boon to a variety of local businesses in Nassau and on Grand Bahama.
Russell Benford, the Royal Caribbean Group vice president responsible for government relations in the Americas, said: “We at Royal Caribbean are excited about this next step in our journey not just because we will be able to sail again in The Bahamas, which remains our number one destination, but because of the opportunities that homeporting unfolds for so many Bahamian businesses and attractions, including our many Bahamian partners.
Sea level rise and tourism in The Bahamas
The Nassau Guardian reported on January 7, 2021 that, “Seventy-four percent of tourism-based jobs will be at risk due to a strong Category 5 hurricane by the year 2100,” and “The storm’s impact on beaches will likely lead to a decrease in visitor expenditure by nearly $1 billion.” The report was based on the study published in the journal, Environmental Development in August 2020 by lead researcher, Arsum Pathak, from the University of South Florida. Allow me to highlight some of the salient findings from this research which is critical for tourism planning in The Bahamas.
With tourism accounting for up to 50 percent of The Bahamas’ gross domestic product (GDP) and 65 percent of its employment, we as a country should take note of this assessment that was carried out by conducting a geospatial analysis of tourism establishments at risk. Although a study like this is based on a lot of assumptions, we can still be guided in making