The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Minister of Tourism yesterday said the Government is targeting increased airlift from Europe, with all indicators suggesting that market is "looking up"'.

Speaking outside Cabinet yesterday following a four-day trip to London for the World Travel Market conference, Dionisio D'Aguilar said: "We had some very interesting talks with airline companies exploring new avenues of lift into the country; expanding the amount of trips in the case of British Airways, or expanding the size of aircraft and just trying to explore bringing in additional lift from Europe into the Bahamas.

"We are exploring flights out of France. British Airways has very good loads on that flight to the Bahamas out of London, and we are trying to see if they can throw in extra flights. The indicators are that travel out of Europe is looking up."

Mr D'Aguilar said that once the necessary resources are put in place to market the Bahamas, this nation stands to gain more visitors. He added that European travellers stay an average of 10-11 days in the Bahamas, whereas US visitors spend an average three to four days.

Mr D'Aguilar also expressed optimism that once discussions between Hutchison Whampoa and the Government conclude over the Grand Lucayan, Grand Bahama's economy would improve.

"The problem with Grand Bahama is that we haven't settled on the amount of rooms or the hotel infrastructure there. That's an ongoing discussion between the owners, Hutchison Whampoa, and the Government. That's very much a work in progress. Once we get that settled down I'm very confident that Freeport will be looking on the up and up," he said.