The Bahamas’ Grand Bahama Is Hotter Than Ever, as Airlines Ramp Up Flights
Gold Rock Beach. The Goombay Summer Festival. The shopping in Port Lucaya. The food at Flying Fish.
The island of Grand Bahama, just over 60 miles from Palm Beach, is filled with must-see and must-do attractions.
But since Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the island’s tourism sector has been in an uphill climb.
That largely changed last year, when the destination reported 33 percent growth in tourist arrivals — bigger growth than any other island in The Bahamas.
And so far in 2024, the renaissance of Grand Bahama is continuing: with arrivals ahead by another 8 percent over last year.
It’s a trend that’s likely to continue, with a number of airlines ramping up service and adding flights to the island in the coming months. Next month, Fort Lauderdale-based Western Air is adding new flights between Fort Lauderadle and Freeport.
A few weeks later, Bahamasair will increase capacity on its Freeport-Fort Lauderdale route.
In October, American Airlines will resume its daily service from Miami, with plans for twice-daily service beginning in November — a significant lift for the shoulder season.
American will also be offering a once-weekly Saturday flight between Charlotte and Grand Bahama.
But that’s not all.
On Nov. 17, Bahamasair will inaugurate a new nonstop route between West Palm Beach and Freeport.
The optimism in Grand Bahama isn’t just on the airlift side, though. A brand-new Six Senses resort is coming to the island (with real estate sales already performing well) and a new wave of investors are looking to help play a role in developing Grand Bahama 2.0.
“We continue to explore new markets for Grand Bahama, as well as position the island for returned service from both local and legacy airlines,” said Bahamas Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Chester Cooper. “As Grand Bahama’s foreign airlift arrivals, as well as seat capacity, continue to see double digit year- over-year increases, we will remain resolute in our effort to ‘put more heads in beds’ from new markets, as well as the currently serviced routes that include Charlotte, Durham, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Milan, Montreal and Toronto.”
