The reopening of the Grand Lucayan this week has been hailed as ‘welcomed news’ for Grand Bahama concerns remain over the reopening of the island’s main gateway to international traffic. 

The Grand Lucayan resort will re-open on Tuesday, with 200 staff returning to work, according to Michael Scott, chairman of Lucayan Renewal Holdings Ltd.

Greg LaRoda, the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce President, said: “I think what that does is it makes a few more rooms available.  All of our rooms now are occupied by people involved in the relief effort. 

“From a touristic standpoint stand cruise ships are starting to come back but the airport is still closed and so we don’t have international flights.  We need to get the airport back up and running and get direct international flights between the US and Canada. 

“Whatever rooms we get open will only help the situation,” LaRoda added. 

Pelican Bay Resort General manager Magnus Alnebeck said: “It is great news.  There are people here looking for rooms and there are a lot of people here.  There are people dealing with restoration and living in private homes. 

“The greatest issue right now is to get the airport open,” Alnebeck said. “ Without the airport we are not really getting anyone coming here.  That is going to be a big challenge for everyone especially the commercial sector.  You can’t really expect people to fly through Nassau to get here.” 

Scott told Tribune Business last week the government-owned resort may open some rooms in the long-shuttered Breaker’s Cay property as well as the 196-room Lighthouse Pointe depending on the strength of demand.