The Bahamas: Week 2 –by Greta Saeger
The Bahamas are a country and an archipelago in the West Indies. As this is located off the southeast edge of Florida, the Bahamas have not experienced many direct effects, such as incoming refugees and food shortages, in the face of the war in Ukraine. However there have been some consequences that have reached The Bahamas.
One major consequence is the rising gas and electricity prices that the whole world is feeling. According to Neil Hartnell, Tribune Business Editor, The Bahamas have felt this particular impact the most in the form of slowed tourism. Gas prices being higher leads to higher prices for tourist transport which means that The Bahamas are likely to see a decrees in the number of tourists. This is on top of the Economy just barely recovering from covid. In 2020 the drastic lack of tourists that The Bahamas experienced lead to a GDP low of 9.7 billion. As opposed to 13.19 Billion in 2019 (trading economics).
On the other hand, according to Hartnell, The Bahamas could also benefit from this conflict. It is important to note that The Bahamas has official declared Russias actions as deplorable. However, it is possible that in the face of the conflict cruise ships that would otherwise operate in the Mediterranean, might come to the Caribbean to work, in an effort to avoid the conflict. This would benefit the Bahamas in that it would bring more tourists to the country.
- “Bahamas GDP2022 Data – 2023 Forecast – 1960-2021 Historical – Chart – News.” Bahamas GDP – 2022 Data – 2023 Forecast – 1960-2021 Historical – Chart – News, https://tradingeconomics.com/bahamas/gdp.
- “The Bahamas.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., https://www.britannica.com/place/The-Bahamas.
- HARTNELL, NEIL. Ukraine Invasion ‘Serious Concern’ for Local Tourism, Tribune, 25 Feb. 2022, http://www.tribune242.com/news/2022/feb/25/ukraine-invasion-serious-concern-local-tourism/.
- The Nassau Guardian. “Ukraine’s War Impacts the Bahamas.” The Nassau Guardian, 7 Mar. 2022, https://thenassauguardian.com/ukraines-war-impacts-the-bahamas/.
- “UNDP LAC C19 PDS No. 6 Social and Economic Impact of Covid-19 and …” UNDP, UNDP Latin America and Caribbean, https://www.undp.org/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/migration/latinamerica/UNDP-RBLAC-CD19-PDS-Number6-EN-Arg.pdf.