Want to help the Bahamas recover from Hurricane Dorian? Visit its popular islands
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After hurricane Dorian, the best way to help the Bahamas is by actually going to the Bahamas. Veuer’s Maria Mercedes Galuppo has more.
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Grand Bahama and Abaco Islands were pummeled by Hurricane Dorian, and at least 50 people are dead — a number that is likely to continue to rise — and property losses could reach $7 billion.
However, the majority of the Bahamas was untouched by the strong, slow-moving hurricane.Â
And now, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism Aviation is urging people to help the group of islands recover as a whole by continuing to visit more than a dozen islands that are open to receive visitors.
Ellison Thompson, deputy director general of the tourism ministry, told USA TODAY in an email that the country has seen trip cancellations to areas that were not hurt by the storm. The reason, he thinks, is that people believe the Bahamas as a whole was devastated by Hurricane Dorian.
The tourism ministry is trying to clarify that many major tourism hubs have not been impacted and is visitors to keep their travel plans.Â
“The Bahamas is a country of 700 islands and cays beginning 50 miles off the Florida coast and stretching for 750 miles from Bimini in the north to Inagua in the south,” said Thompson. “The distance between these areas are similar to the distance between Philadelphia and New York.. If NYC has an issue, it doesn’t affect Philadelphia.”
The best thing that people can do to help the Bahamas is simple: Visit.Â
Cruise ports, airports, hotels and other popular tourist attractions in the central, northern and southern Bahamas are open for business.
“Maintaining a robust tourism industry will be vital in helping the country to recover and rebuild,†said Dionisio D’Aguilar, Bahamas Minister of Tourism Aviation, in the release.
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![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
1 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
2 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
3 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
4 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
5 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
6 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
7 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
8 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
9 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
10 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
11 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
12 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
13 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
14 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
15 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
16 of 17![A new book, Pigs of Paradise: The Story of the World-Famous Swimming Pigs by T. R. Todd, tells the story of an island in the middle of the Bahamas populated by swimming pigs.]()
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For hurricane relief in Bahamas
Dazed and weary: Hurricane Dorian refugees descend on Bahamas capital of Nassau
The islands the ministry recommends visiting include:
- Acklins and Crooked Island
- Andros
- The Berry Islands
- Bimini
- Cat Island
- Eleuthera and Harbour Island
- The Exumas
- Inagua
- Mayaguana
- Nassau and Paradise Island
- Long Island
- Rum Cay
- San Salvador
The ministry promoted using a tool called IslandFinder to plan a trip.
D’Aguilar said that the island nation is grateful for the outpouring of support and love and would like everyone to know that the best way is to visit the other islands.
“Our beautiful island nation is ready to welcome you,” said D’Aguilar in the release.
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![More than a single island, the Bahamas is an archipelago]()
1 of 30![Most visitors set their sights on the islands of New]()
2 of 30![The Bahamas is actually situated in the Atlantic Ocean]()
3 of 30![Sandals Royal Bahamian is situated along Nassau's famous]()
4 of 30![Guests at Sandals Royal Bahamian receive complimentary]()
5 of 30![Sandals Royal Bahamian was once the posh Balmoral Club]()
6 of 30![Sandals Royal Bahamian has a pair of colonnaded pools]()
7 of 30![Honeymooners have a selection of romantic room categories]()
8 of 30![Guests at Sandals Royal Bahamian have a choice of 10]()
9 of 30![Theres a wide range of activities at the all-inclusive]()
10 of 30![Atlantis Paradise Island is a good recommendation for]()
11 of 30![It would take several honeymoons to enjoy everything]()
12 of 30![Atlantis Paradise Island has a fantasy aspect and could]()
13 of 30![For the ultimate at Atlantis Paradise Island, honeymooners]()
14 of 30![Atlantis Paradise Islands six-story-high Mayan Temple]()
15 of 30![The Mandara Spa at Atlantis Paradise Island offers]()
16 of 30![Honeymooners with a bent for history will love Graycliff]()
17 of 30![Graycliff Hotel has a romance package that starts at]()
18 of 30![Graycliff Hotel also offers honeymooners a complimentary]()
19 of 30![Graycliff Hotel has a prime location in Nassau, making]()
20 of 30![Graycliff Wine Cellar has an inventory of over 250,000]()
21 of 30![Graycliff Restaurant has four air-conditioned dining]()
22 of 30![The Graycliff Suites at Graycliff Hotel overlook the]()
23 of 30![Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, Bahamas received]()
24 of 30![There are three pools at Ocean Club, including one]()
25 of 30![Ocean Club is convenient to the dining, shopping and]()
26 of 30![Ocean Club also has three villas which are serviced]()
27 of 30![Honeymooners can put the brakes on the cost of a Bahamas]()
28 of 30![The adults-only Hotel Riu Palace Paradise Island has]()
29 of 30![Hotel Riu Palace Paradise Island is all-inclusive,]()
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Organizations around the U.S. have been accepting donations and taking trips to the islands impacted by Dorian.
Hurricane Dorian aftermath: Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, Carnival, others pledge support to Bahamas
Bahamas help: Carnival loads Liberty cruise ship with relief supplies for Hurricane Dorian victims
Follow Morgan Hines on Twitter: @MorganEmHines.
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Nassau resident Sandra Ferguson, 55, right, embraces her brother, Dereck Bain, 46, and their sister Judy Rolle, 51, in Marsh Harbour on Abaco in the Bahamas on Sept. 5, 2019 after a nerve-wracking trip to the disaster left behind by Hurricane Dorian. Ferguson and Rolle couldn’t reach their brother via cell phone and flew to the island in hopes they could find him.Jake Gillanders, the executive director of the EMPACT SAR team from the United States, briefs members of the team before deploying at Treasure Cay on Abaco in The Bahamas on Sept. 6, 2019. EMPACT, a nonprofit SAR team based in the Pacific Northwest, works with local agencies or governments to supplement existing resources, and is supported solely by donations. Members, who include a doctor, an architect, a nurse and several firefighter/paramedics, have deployed around the world to assist with disasters, including Haiti and the Philippines.
![A helicopter flies over homes damaged by Hurricane Dorian on Treasure Cay in The Bahamas on Sept. 7, 2019.]()
1 of 79![Nassau resident Sandra Ferguson, 55, right, embraces her brother, Dereck Bain, 46, and their sister Judy Rolle, 51, in Marsh Harbour on Abaco in the Bahamas on Sept. 5, 2019 after a nerve-wracking trip to the disaster left behind by Hurricane Dorian. Ferguson and Rolle couldn't reach their brother via cell phone and flew to the island in hopes they could find him.]()
2 of 79![A Hurricane Dorian survivor walks past a beached powerboat in Marsh Harbour, Abaco Island, in the Bahamas on Sept. 5, 2019.]()
3 of 79![Volunteers with World Central Kitchen transport food relief for survivors of Hurricane Dorian Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbor, Great Abaco, Bahamas.]()
4 of 79![A view of damage from Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbor, Great Abaco, Bahamas.]()
5 of 79![Former Marsh Harbour Fire Chief, Norwel Gordon, surveys damage caused by Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.]()
6 of 79![Hurricane Dorian survivors walk through a flooded area of Marsh Harbor on Abaco Island, in the Bahamas following the storm's passag on September 5, 2019.]()
7 of 79![People walk through a flooded road as they try to rescue families near Causarina Bridge in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
8 of 79![An aerial view from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater forward-deployed four MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter shows heavy flooding takes over in low lying areas in the Bahamas after hurricane Dorian hit the islands on September 2, 2019.]()
9 of 79![An aerial view shows destruction at a leisure boat harbor at the Bahamas after hurricane Dorian hit the islands on September 2, 2019.]()
10 of 79![A road is flooded during the passing of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Sept. 2, 2019. Hurricane Dorian hovered over the Bahamas on Monday, pummeling the islands with a fearsome Category 4 assault that forced even rescue crews to take shelter until the onslaught passes.]()
11 of 79![A catamaran thrown onshore by the hurricane lays stranded near a highway close to Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
12 of 79![Rain brought on by Hurricane Dorian continues to pour in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
13 of 79![Matthew Aylen wades through waist deep water as he is rescued from his flooded home during Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
14 of 79![A flooded road is seen in Freeport in the Grand Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019, as hurricane Dorian passes.]()
15 of 79![Julia Aylen wades through waist deep water carrying her pet dog as she is rescued from her flooded home during Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
16 of 79![Submerged car sit submerged in water from Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019. Dorian is beginning to inch northwestward after being stationary over the Bahamas, where its relentless winds have caused catastrophic damage and flooding.]()
17 of 79![A family is escorted to a safe zone after they were rescued as rain from Hurricane Dorian continues in Freeport, Bahamas, on Sept. 3, 2019. The center of Hurricane Dorian is finally moving away from Grand Bahama island but the U.S. National Hurricane Center says the island will continue getting dangerous winds and life-threatening storm surge through the evening.]()
18 of 79![A man who was trapped by flood waters from Hurricane Dorian is transported out of the area by volunteers on a jet ski near the Causarina Bridge in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
19 of 79![A volunteer looks for the owner of a dog he rescued from the rising waters caused by Hurricane Dorian near the Causarina Bridge in Freeport, Grand Bahama, Bahamas on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
20 of 79![First responders escort an injured person from Hurricane Dorian devastated Abaco Island from Odyssey Avaiation after U.S Coast Guard evacuated people from Island on Sept. 3, 2019.]()
21 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
22 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
23 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
24 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
25 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbor on the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
26 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Treasure Cay in the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
27 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
28 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
29 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
30 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian at Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
31 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Grand Bahama on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
32 of 79![George Bolter, left, and his parents walk through the remains of his home destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in the Pine Bay neighborhood of Freeport, Bahamas, on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
33 of 79![A resident takes photos of a plane destroyed by Hurricane Dorian on the side of a road in the Pine Bay neighborhood, in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, in Freeport, Bahamas, on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
34 of 79![A child walks past clothes laid out to dry after Hurricane Dorian, in the Arden Forest neighborhood of Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
35 of 79![Mister Bolter recovers dishes from his son's home, destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in Pine Bay, near Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
36 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian Treasure Cay in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
37 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian at Bakers Bay on Great Guano Cay in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
38 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
39 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian on Abaco Island in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
40 of 79![Damage from Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
41 of 79![Catherine Russel is greeted by loved ones after arriving at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas with other survivors of Hurricane Dorian from Abaco Island on Sept. 4, 2019.]()
42 of 79![Trees left bare by Hurricane Dorian dot the devastated landscape in Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas on Sept. 5, 2019.]()
43 of 79![Debris blankets the landscape in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. The storms devastation has come into sharper focus as the death toll climbed to 20 and many people emerged from shelters to check on their homes.]()
44 of 79![Residents pass damage caused by Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.]()
45 of 79![Rescue workers recover the body of a victim of Hurricane Dorian on Sept 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.]()
46 of 79![Residents pass damage caused by Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.]()
47 of 79![Residents pass damage caused by Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas.]()
48 of 79![A USCG Air Station Clearwater helicopter crew evacuates Hurricane Dorian displaced adults and children to safety, in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, on September 5, 2019.]()
49 of 79![People recover items from a beached boat after Hurricane Dorian on September 5, 2019, in Marsh Harbor, Great Abaco.]()
50 of 79![A home is flooded after Hurricane Dorian had made landfall to the island Great Abaco, Bahamas on September 5, 2019.]()
51 of 79![Downed trees and destroyed homes fill the landscape across Marsh Harbour on Abaco, in The Bahamas, following the passage of Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 6, 2019.]()
52 of 79![A girl pretends to make a phone call on a toy telephone set while her mom checks her real cell phone to see if service has been restored in Marsh Harbour, on Abaco, in the Bahamas, following the passage of Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 6, 2019.]()
53 of 79![Jake Gillanders, the executive director of the EMPACT SAR team from the United States, briefs members of the team before deploying at Treasure Cay on Abaco in The Bahamas on Sept. 6, 2019. EMPACT, a nonprofit SAR team based in the Pacific Northwest, works with local agencies or governments to supplement existing resources, and is supported solely by donations. Members, who include a doctor, an architect, a nurse and several firefighter/paramedics, have deployed around the world to assist with disasters, including Haiti and the Philippines.]()
54 of 79![A group of Hurricane Dorian survivors wait to load an evacuation plane leaving Treasure Cay airport, the sole functioning landing site on Abaco, which was devastated by the storm. Airlines were evacuating kids, the sick and the elderly first, and were cancelling existing reservations to do so on Sept. 6, 2019.]()
55 of 79![Mark Baker and Theresa Roach pick their way through debris on their way back to Baker's condo on Treasure Cay on Sept. 6, 2019. Baker's was one of the few homes left virtually untouched by Hurricane Dorian. Baker offered his home to a search-and-rescue team to use as a base area.]()
56 of 79![A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter circles over Treasure Cay before landing near the health clinic, which largely survived Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 6, 2019.]()
57 of 79![Barbara Key hugs Herald Malone after seeing him again after Hurricane Dorian devastated Elbow Key Island on Sept. 7, 2019 ion Elbow Key Island, Bahamas. The official death toll has risen to 43 and according to officials is likely to increase even more.]()
58 of 79![An aerial view of view of damaged homes in Hurricane Dorian devastated Elbow Key Island on Sept. 7, 2019 ion Elbow Key Island, Bahamas.]()
59 of 79![Crew members from Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas unload food packages as part of the company's disaster relief operation to bring relief supplies and 20,000 daily meals to the Freeport, Bahamas community, in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 7, 2019. The island was one of the first to get hit by Hurricane Dorian after she turned in to a category 5 hurricane.]()
60 of 79![Volunteers load one of five planes, including the Tico Belle, with relief supplies destined for the Bahamas in Melbourne, Fla. on Sept. 7, 2019.]()
61 of 79![: The roof of the Hope Town fire station is repaired in Hurricane Dorian devastated Elbow Key Island on Sept. 7, 2019 in Elbow Key Island, Bahamas.]()
62 of 79![Residents work on a roof in the mud neighborhood of Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco, on Sept. 7, 2019, in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Bahamians who lost everything in the devastating passage of Hurricane Dorian were scrambling Saturday to escape the worst-hit islands by sea or by air, after the historically powerful storm left at least 43 people dead with officials fearing a significantly higher toll.]()
63 of 79![Personal belongings are gathered in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, on Sept. 7, 2019, in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.]()
64 of 79![Members of EMPACT Northwest, a non-profit urban search-and-rescue team, deploying across Treasure Cay on Sept. 7, 2019 in The Bahamas in the wake of Hurricane Dorian.]()
65 of 79![A sailboat tossed onto shore by the power of Hurricane Dorian on Treasure Cay, in The Bahamas on Sept. 7, 2019.]()
66 of 79![People unload humanitarian aid at the Treasure Cay Airport on Treasure Cay in the Bahamas following the passage of Hurricane Dorian on Sept. 7, 2019.]()
67 of 79![Hurricane Dorian evacuee Cecil Grant, 31, cradles his sleeping daughter, Yalissa, 7 months, while he makes a phone call at a shelter in Nassau, the Bahamas, a day after fleeing their longtime home on Abaco after the storm destroyed their house and much of the surrounding community. Trevor Hughes/USA TODAY (Via OlyDrop)]()
68 of 79![Kellen Luksch, center, helps load supplies on Sept. 9, 2019, for a Hurricane Dorian relief mission from Page Field Airport in Fort Myers, Fla. to the Bahamas. The relief mission includes three planes carrying more than 3900 lbs. of donated supplies.]()
69 of 79![Shakeem Wallace, center, was among more than 100 people looking for supplies outside the gates of the Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 9, 2019.]()
70 of 79![More than 100 people look for supplies outside the gates of the Grand Bahama International Airport in Freeport, Bahamas on Sept. 9, 2019.]()
71 of 79![A woman holds a baby to be attended at a tent-hospital setup by Samaritans Purse in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019. Thousands of hurricane survivors are facing the prospect of starting their lives over but with little idea of how or where to even begin.]()
72 of 79![A member of a Florida search and rescue team marks a house clear after searching it for bodies in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian. Bahamas authorities have updated the death toll from Hurricane Dorian to 50 with the number expected to climb, local media reported, as thousands are evacuated from the archipelago's hardest-hit islands.]()
73 of 79![Residents help repair a roof as they rebuild their home in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian.]()
74 of 79![A couples photograph is seen amongst the rubble in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian.]()
75 of 79![Clothes dry on a line in an abandoned destroyed home in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian.]()
76 of 79![Two cars are seen in an area destroyed by a storm surge in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian.]()
77 of 79![A Canadian search and rescue team search the debris in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian.]()
78 of 79![A man salvages debris in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, on Sept. 10, 2019, one week after Hurricane Dorian.]()
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