I hope I can comment here, as I live in the U.S.
The entry fee for boats has been suddenly increased from $100 to $300. This is causing many boaters to reconsider returning to the Bahamas.
I have been coming each year to the Exumas, and spend 2-3 months in the out islands, as well as Georgetown for a month or 6 weeks. Last year there were 400 boats at Georgetown, most also for several weeks. You can imagine the business we all did with the local businesses.
If we quit coming this will only hurt the locals on the out islands.
Most of don't fish, so the claim by the government that we are depleting the fish and sea life is not valid. Some of us volunteer at the Exuma Park, others help out in the small towns.
Many of us love coming there, but are on restricted budgets, so this fee increase makes us think twice. The boaters who run across to Bimini and the near islands for a few days also are rethinking their plans. In short, most of us give a definite boost to the Bahamian economy, particularly the out islands.
Jim Taylor

James.
I am sure you can comment here. You, and others like you, are our country's most welcome guests and we want to know what you think of the product the Bahamas offers.

I understand what you are saying but even at $300.00 it is still a cheap vacation. You don't have to pay that much, and more, each day for a hotel room! Not to mention room tax, tips etc. (Assuming you live on the boat.) I think it would have been wiser for the Government to raise the fee by, say, $50.00. A $200.00 jump is a bit of a shock to the wallet.

A $200.00 jump is a bit of a shock to the wallet.

Makes ya think what the big hike is all about doesn't it CG? :rolleyes:

Another thing is the average tourist only spends about a day or two here it the Bahamas, once a year and 90% of that time spent is in Nassau.

These boaters go to almost every island on an average of three or more times a year and spend weeks. You do the math!

I feel that this hike has to be reconsidered because it will affect us in the long run.

I have to tend to disagree here, given that it costs a Bahamian $100 in visa fees every time they travel to the States. The biggest problem I have with the increase is that it was so sudden. :sailing:

If anything, we'll see serious, thoughtful boaters here to stay, and the folks who show up to stay here months at a time and pump out their toilets in our waters without having a black water tank on board or bothering to use pump out stations available at most marinas across the country/take six months of conch and lobster back with them illegally/shoot firecrackers off in the marina at all time of night ... just stick to the Keys.

Tourism is a service industry, indeed, but the new fees seem to be separating the wheat from chaff when it comes to boaters who truly love travelling the islands of the Bahamas. Not all of our Out Islands are for sale to highest bidder, now.

I hope I can comment here, as I live in the U.S.
The entry fee for boats has been suddenly increased from $100 to $300. This is causing many boaters to reconsider returning to the Bahamas.
I have been coming each year to the Exumas, and spend 2-3 months in the out islands, as well as Georgetown for a month or 6 weeks. Last year there were 400 boats at Georgetown, most also for several weeks. You can imagine the business we all did with the local businesses.
If we quit coming this will only hurt the locals on the out islands.
Most of don't fish, so the claim by the government that we are depleting the fish and sea life is not valid. Some of us volunteer at the Exuma Park, others help out in the small towns.
Many of us love coming there, but are on restricted budgets, so this fee increase makes us think twice. The boaters who run across to Bimini and the near islands for a few days also are rethinking their plans. In short, most of us give a definite boost to the Bahamian economy, particularly the out islands.
Jim Taylor

Although I feel the fee increase is too high I think the environtmental impact of as you say(400 boats in georgetown) is more disconcerting. If you spend two or three months cruising in the shallows of the exumas what happens to the human waste produced. The Bahamas needs to get in touch with this problem.
No pump-out facilities, thousands of boats pooping in the waters.

Lordy lordy! The laws of this country are not written in the best interest of people who are without means. Take for example the levies placed on the importation of boats for fishing purposes. I am told that the tax bill to import a fishing boat is 40%. You can import a boat duty free for fishing but it has to be at least 30'. Why is there a minimum boat size for duty free importation?! Who does this benefit? what are our leaders doing to empower the masses? Will the Minister of finace please give us an explanation? And why is the damn duty so high anyhow? Ten percent of something is a lot more than 40% of nothing. Our leaders are morons. You should at least be able to do elementary arithmatic to qualify to run for parliament. That is my five cents.