Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper addressed the Eleuthera Business Outlook event this week.

While Eleuthera stopover tourist numbers are 34% ahead those of last year Cooper warned of coming headwinds. He said, “we anticipate over the course of the next few months that there will consistently be some uncertainty in the marketplace. Yesterday and today the world is swirling as a result of the tariff wars which is going to result in increase in the overall cost in living for Americans and you would know that 80% of our tourists come from the USA and therefore this will have some resulting impact on our major industry. We’re coming off a record 2023 year and a record 2024 year and so far we’re beating those records in 2025 but we’re bracing ourselves.”

The Minister also addressed the updated travel advisory issued by the United States warning their citizens about crime in The Bahamas. “Whilst the level of the advisory has not changed there’s been concerns expressed particularly about jet ski operators in Nassau. And whilst these advisories having less impact on places like Eleuthera and Exuma and the other family islands we ought to be aware that there are many people in the world who do not understand the geography of The Bahamas and when they hear The Bahamas they think Nassau and when they hear Nassau they think that that is the entirety of The Bahamas not being aware of our archipelago. And therefore sometimes there is that impact,” he said.

The Eleuthera Business Outlook event was held in Rock Sound, Eleuthera under the theme Prioritizing Inclusive Sustainable Growth.