The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE Tribune Business Reporter nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN tourism and airport executives are expecting to meet with 15 airlines at this year's Routes Americas conference, according to tourism director-general David Johnson, who said more than half this number currently do not service the Bahamas. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the forum, Mr Johnson said: "We will have the opportunity to meet with some 15 airlines, with our partners at Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) and the Nassau/Paradise Island Promotion Board, where we will achieve what will normally take many months to do in a matter of two days; to advance our business agenda with key suppliers that serve us, and that we believe would be interested in serving us in the near term. He added: "We would certainly be looking at existing carriers, but quite a few of them - more than 50 per cent - are carriers that don't presently serve the Bahamas, and we believe have potential for bringing new service to the Bahamas from new gateways." The fifth annual Routes Americas conference, the top airline industry seminar, is being hosted by NAD. This year's forum is scheduled to close at the Atlantis, Paradise Island resort tomorrow. It will bring together key players in the airline and airport industry responsible for developing new routes to, from and within the Americas, and to discuss new market opportunities, discuss existing air services with the region and devise strategies to maintain and improve them. Nigel Mays, vice-president and commercial head for Routes, said: "This year we are going to have more delegates than we have ever had. We are expecting to have 400 airline, airport and tourism authority delegates from over 42 different countries. We also have the largest number of airlines to attend Routes America, with around 60 carriers. "Routes is important because air service development is important. We felt that Nassau was a quality destination, had a great hotel product, ease of access, stakeholder support and a team that truly understands route development." Stewart Steeves, president and chief executive of NAD, said the conference provides the opportunity to showcase the redevelopment of Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA). "This conference provides us with the opportunity for the airlines to see what we are accomplishing here in terms of the airport redevelopment, and shows them that the airport is being brought up to a level that is consistent with the resorts of the Bahamas, and that it is an enabler of the kind of growth that we seek," Mr Steeves said. With regards to the progress of redevelopment at LPIA, Mr Steeves said: "We are now half-way through the second stage of the development, which is an international arrivals terminal. That should be complete in October, and then we will be on our way with stage three, and that will include all domestic and international checking facilities and domestic arrivals facilitates."