Hope for increase in regional visitors with Redjet’s TT service
Friday July 29 2011 | 04:38 AM

Barbados is banking on a major increase in visitor arrivals from Trinidad and Tobago and wider CARICOM, with today's launch of regional airline REDjet's second service.

News of this comes as that airline is reporting profits on its first route to Georgetown, Guyana.

Based on the initial response to the airline's Guyana service inaugurated in May, and the large number of bookings by Trinidadians so far, Barbados tourism officials are confident of increasing Caribbean arrivals from the current 85,000 to 100,000 in relatively short order.

This was the optimism expressed by both Minister of Tourism, Richard Sealy and Barbados Tourism Authority President, David Rice.

Both spoke during a Press conference at the Grantley Adams International Airport prior to REDjet's takeoff.

There have been about 2,000 bookings by Trinidadians attending Crop-Over and some 1,000 of them are expected in the island for Cohobblopot and Rihanna's concert.

Sealy called it a "significant day" for regional travel and that it was certainly good news for Barbados.

"We are happy that we have had this investment and we are heartened by what we have seen so far," he said. "I think it is important that we continue to grow that aspect of our tourism offering."

The minister said the competition would be good for the consumer and was not an effort to see others, including LIAT and Caribbean Airlines, fail.

Rice, who made the trip to Trinidad, echoed these sentiments.

"We look forward to increased arrivals, increased business and the competition will make everybody better," he stated.

The Caribbean market is this island's third largest after the United Kingdom and the United States and REDjet's entry has given the Freundel Stuart administration renewed optimism of significant growth in that market.

The new low-fares carrier touched down in Port-of-Spain at 2:47 p.m., Trinidad time, with representatives from the BTA, members of the media from Barbados and Guyana, REDjet shareholders and directors, and the first passengers on board.

Neither the Minister of Tourism or Transport were there to welcome the flight, with the reason given that there were both attending Cabinet.

And while Minister of Social Development, Dr. Lincoln Douglas and Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Delmond Baker, and other officials were present, none of them sat at the head table or delivered speeches.

Speaking afterwards to the Barbadian media, Douglas declined to answer questions about the impact REDjet's Trinidad service would have on CAL.

But he said he personally welcomed it, as did ordinary Trinidadians "on the ground", adding that anything that brought the region closer was welcomed.

REDjet CEO, Ian Burns said his company would continue to grow regional travel. He also noted the company was already making money on its first route to Georgetown, Guyana.

"We have broken even within four weeks of starting our operations on that route and in seven weeks we have been profitable," he said.

Business Development Manager Robbie Burns also said despite the Trinidad and Jamaica delays the airline was not counting losses. He noted the company had actually saved money on marketing and advertising.