This looks like a repeat of the fable about killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
Last July 1, the Bahamas Tourism Board enacted significant increases to all of the fees charged to visiting yachts. Not surprisingly, the increase has caused skippers to choose to spend the winter elsewhere, with many sailing south to the Virgini Islands.
While the Tourism Board is reportedly reevaluating the fee increase, as of February 2026 no changes have been implemented. The Association of Bahamian Marinas reports that their member facilities are seeing many fewer guests this winter, with the Abacos, Berry Islands, Harbour Town and Bimini seeing the most drastic decreases.
The Exuma Chain is still seeing visiting yachts in healthy numbers with the marinas at Staniel Cay, High Point and George Town reporting slower than average bookings but still plenty of visitors.
The marina association tracks activity in the Bahamas and farther afield in the U.S and British Virgin Islands to get a fair idea of where the yachting business is heading. As it turns out, the Virgin Islands has seen an increase in yacht visits by between 15 and 20%.
This, the association claims, amounts to millions of dollars in lost revenue for the Tourism Board, for charter companies and for all of the land based companies from taxis to supermarkets that service the cruising and charter fleets.
The new fees are significant. A normal 45-foot cruising boat now has to pay $500 for a cruising permit. For boats over 50 feet, that number goes up to $1,000. But there’s more. Every boat has to pay a $200 anchoring fee and there is a $30 per head charge for each crew member aboard above the base of three.
Fishing permits are no longer included in the fee for the cruising permit. So, if you plan to fish in any capacity, and the fishing in the Bahamas is excellent, boats under 50 feet need to pay an additional $100 while boats over 50 feet are charged $300.
The trouble is, the permits are only good for 30 days so if you are in the islands for the winter, say four months, and plan to fish, you need to renew the permit every month.
One wonders how a bad 2025-2026 season will affect the marine segments of the Bahamian economy –almost entirely dependent on tourism—and whether or not those in power, including the tourism board, will react by lowering fees for yachts to the 2024 levels. Or they may just go on dining on the goose that was making them rich.
Read more about the new fees here.
