NASSAU, BAHAMAS – In the Bahamas, foreign arrivals fell by a little more than 75 percent last year, according to the central bank.

The regulator stated in its monthly economic and financial development report from January 2021: “For 2020, the total number of foreign arrivals decreased by 75.2 percent, a reversal from an expansion of 9.5 percent in 2019.

“As a result of this result, air arrivals fell by 74.8 percent, compared to an increase of 6.7 percent in the previous year. Arrivals at sea also fell sharply by 75.4 percent after a growth of 10.3 percent in the previous year. “

According to the central bank, the latest data from Nassau Airport Development Company Ltd. (NAD) for January 2021 that the total number of departures – net domestic departures – fell to 23,099 passengers, which canceled out the 6.1 percent increase to 142,445 passengers last year.

“As a result of this development, the dominant US component shrank by 83.1 percent, a reversal from an increase of six percent in the previous year. In addition, departures outside of the U.S. fell 87.5 percent, while increasing 6.4 percent in 2020. “

Tourism sector activity continued to decline in December 2020 amid COVID-19-related travel restrictions imposed around the world, negatively impacting arrivals by air and sea.

Official data from the Ministry of Tourism showed that the total number of foreign arrivals after the first port of entry was 95.3 percent lower during the month, undoing the 5.9 percent growth over the same period in 2019, according to the central bank.