Brac Hospitality Hits the Sweet Spot

Emerging from shelters and battered homes after Hurricane Ivan, it was good to know that there was a place to go where water was still running, utility poles standing and cars being driven.

Having escaped the brunt of the storm, the Sister Islands proved to be a welcome haven for many stressed Grand Cayman residents in the weeks following Hurricane Ivan.

According to the Secretary of the Sister Islands Emergency Committee Mrs Wanda Tatum JP, Cayman Airways flew in almost 1,400 people in the first week after the storm. “We had many Grand Cayman residents bringing their children here to stay with family or friends while they returned to the challenge of rebuilding,” she said.

And the District Administration and Sister Islands’ Essential Relief Committee made sure arriving people received a good measure of Brac hospitality. There were friendly and caring faces to greet them, a nurse to offer medical assistance and tables laden with food and drinks.

District Administrator Kenny Ryan said everyone knew that those arriving on the Brac in the days following the storm were still in the mode where food and drink was not readily available. “Members of the community contributed to the welcoming effort with many volunteers waiting to greet those arriving. We also had people calling in offering rooms and homes to people without a place to stay.”

Local hotels offered their rooms at cost price to people looking for a clean, quiet place, the luxury of air-conditioning and a cold beer.

As Ms Trudy Viers, resort manager at Brac Reef Beach Resort, recalled: “People walked through our doors visibly tired, juggling their suitcases and bags of laundry. All they wanted was a place to rest. Families brought their children to attend school and some stayed for more than a month. Many of our weekend visitors returned two or three times and several local businesses sent their employees for a few days of de-stressing.”

The hurricane gave local tourism an unexpected boost, Ms Viers said: “These days overseas visitors account for 60 to 70 % of our guests and the rest of the rooms we fill with people from Grand Cayman still looking for a quick getaway. We are 100% occupied every weekend.”

Confirming the healthy outlook of tourism on the Brac, Mr. Ryan said,: “Bookings for the coming season are looking good and we are grateful.” He thanked the Brac community, the members of the island’s Essential Relief Committee, fireman and police for their contributions after the storm.