Airlift is absolutely crucial to tourism success in the Caribbean, With so many islands and only so many airlines, governments in the region often use financial incentives to ensure that tourists are carried to their shores.
An article in the Jamaica Observer sheds some light on the practice, revealing that the island’s government has offered more than $1.2 million ($100 million Jamaica dollars) in new guarantees to US Airways and WestJet in order to secure airlift to the island from North America.
The guarantees form the latest sponsorship contracts for these airlines to ensure continued flights to Jamaica. There are two types of contracts: ‘seat support’ refers to paying an airline for empty seats on individual trips to Jamaica, while a ‘revenue guarantee’ contract binds the government to an agreed-upon revenue target. The WestJet contract is for seat support and valued at $200,000, while the US Airways contract is a revenue guarantee at $1 million.
Last week, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett announced that flights from Canada to Jamaica are scheduled to increase by 25% for the upcoming winter tourist season. Weekly flights are expected to total 69 from January 1st to April 30th, up from 55 in 2010. Canada continues to be Jamaica's number one growth market Bartlett said, adding that the increased airlift reflected growing confidence by Canadian-based carriers in Jamaica. Canadian arrivals in the winter season have increased by 70% over the last three years.
WestJet Vacations announced recently that it would offer new non-stop flights from seven additional Canadian gateways to Jamaica for the 2010-2011 winter season. Also new will be weekly non-stop flights from Moncton to Montego Bay with Sunwing Airlines and Signature Vacations.
