Massive Atlantis resort in Bahamas lays off 800 employees

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Atlantis resort in the Bahamas has laid off roughly 800 employees, blaming low occupancy rates as the global economic crisis curbs tourists' appetites for exotic getaways.

The cuts represent about 10 percent of the work force at the country's largest private employer.

The Atlantic archipelago's tourism-driven economy is reeling from a steep decline in visitors from the United States. Hundreds of other hotel workers already have lost jobs or seen their hours reduced.

Atlantis covers three-quarters of Paradise Island, an 800-acre island just off the capital, Nassau, and is known for its large marine habitat and fantastical pink towers. It completed a $1 billion expansion last year that brought its number of rooms to nearly 3,000.

"This decision is both difficult and emotional as we are fully aware of the impact on the employees affected, the remaining staff and the Bahamian community in general," said George Markantonis, president of hotel owner Kerzner International Bahamas Limited.

The United States typically accounts for more than 80 percent of tourist visits to the Bahamas. The decline began early this year and accelerated with the global economic crisis, said Georgina Delancy, research manager for the Bahamas Tourism Ministry.

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