The resumption of Copa Airlines flights after two years (see Thursday paper) is most welcome especially at the start of another low season. This twice-weekly service provides a much-needed connection to Central and South America.
Because, among other reasons, even transfer passengers nowadays require visas or waivers to fly via US territory, the carrier’s Panama City hub has grown in significance. Copa also connects to much of the Caribbean, boosting regional travel.
Making these flights successful will obviously be of major importance. Their frequency had gone up to four times per week in the past, so the potential is clearly there. An aggressive related campaign with social media consumer-direct representation through the airline was announced earlier and ensuring the necessary follow-up remains crucial.
There are other interesting developments in the aviation field. For example, Jetair has started flying from Curaçao to Suriname, for which St. Maarten could be an attractive destination too.
Added airlift is extremely important as part of efforts to diversify the local hospitality industry in terms of both source markets and time of year, making tourism less seasonal and more stable in nature. That would have obvious socioeconomic benefits regarding employment, government earnings, etc.
Mind you, no region is going replace North America and Europe as the island’s main markets anytime soon, but it certainly can’t hurt to actively work on a bit greater variety.
