Barbados positioned as hub as interCaribbean expands regional network
An emphasis on regional travel was at the centre of interCaribbean’s weekend launch of new routes from Barbados, positioning the island as a key hub in the airline’s network expansion and opening direct links to three additional Caribbean destinations: Sint Maarten, Tortola, and Trinidad and Tobago. From March 8, interCaribbean began flying directly from the […] The article Barbados positioned as hub as interCaribbean expands regional network is from St. Lucia Times.
Black News 
An emphasis on regional travel was at the centre of interCaribbean’s weekend launch of new routes from Barbados, positioning the island as a key hub in the airline’s network expansion and opening direct links to three additional Caribbean destinations: Sint Maarten, Tortola, and Trinidad and Tobago.
From March 8, interCaribbean began flying directly from the Grantley Adams International Airport to Princess Juliana International Airport twice a week, to Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport three times a week, and to Piarco International Airport four times a week.
Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.’s Director for the Caribbean, Graham Clarke, said connectivity with northern Caribbean markets is now receiving renewed focus after a period of limited activity.
Clarke told reporters during the airline’s inaugural flight tour to its new destinations, “Most times, people spend a lot of [layover] time in the airports, and it reduces the quality of the experience of the visitor. So, with a direct flight, this really enhances the consumer experience, and hopefully people will see this as an opportunity to really explore the southern Caribbean.”
During the airline’s inaugural stops in each new destination, where flights were welcomed with ceremonial greetings, officials echoed Clarke’s sentiments about the importance of strengthening regional travel.
“As Caribbean people, we ought to explore the Caribbean,” said Sint Maarten’s Director of Tourism, May Ling Chun. “And in a world where geopolitical tension and economic shocks can influence travel patterns, this moment reminds us of something very important: the Caribbean must continue to strengthen itself from within.”
Though interCaribbean has served the British Virgin Islands for the last 10 years, the airline made its first direct flight from Sint Maarten to Tortola on Sunday.
According to the Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Natalio Wheatley, the territory recorded its highest number of arrivals last year – 1.2 million guests.
“The airports authority also had a record year, and the biggest carriers in and out of the Virgin Islands [are] American Airlines and interCaribbean,” he said before expressing gratitude to the regional carrier’s founder and chairman, Lyndon Gardiner.
However, Wheatley added that increased flights into Tortola provide benefits beyond tourism. He noted that more than 70 per cent of the territory’s workforce comes from the southern Caribbean, while also highlighting that visa-related travel to Barbados is common.
According to Gardiner, interCaribbean has previously operated charter flights into Trinidad and Tobago. Now with regular scheduled flights from Barbados, he sees increased opportunity for trade, pointing to Trinidad and Tobago as one of the Caribbean’s most important trading partners, particularly for manufactured goods, food and beverages.
Echoing Gardiner’s sentiments, Deputy General Manager, Estates Planning and Business Development at the Airports Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, Emmanuel Baah said: “….For every additional seat connecting Trinidad and Tobago to a new destination, that opens the doorway to greater investment, greater opportunity for investors from one part of the Caribbean to come and explore opportunities for trade and investment….”
interCaribbean Airways, founded by Lyndon Gardiner, has been operating in the region for more than 30 years. The airline now serves 24 destinations across 18 Caribbean countries and employs more than 600 people, making it one of the Caribbean’s largest indigenous regional carriers.
The article Barbados positioned as hub as interCaribbean expands regional network is from St. Lucia Times.
