From left: Kidus Melkamu, Chief Operating Officer of LIAT20; Hafsah Abdulsalam, Chief Executive Officer, LIAT20 Airlines; Senator Rohan Sinanan, Minister of Works and Transport and Senator Randall Mitchell, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts.
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts warmly welcomed the inaugural flight of the newly formed LIAT20 service to Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Thursday, December 19, according to a press release from the ministry.
The LIAT20 service is expected to provide a significant boost to Trinidad and Tobago’s tourism industry and will bring an additional 250 seats daily into the Piarco International Airport, equating to approximately 1,750 seats per week.
During his address at the launch at the International Departure Lounge, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, Senator Randall Mitchell said, “This re-entry is essential to achieving the goals of the government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to increase connectivity across the region.”
He added that the increased flights “will bring more visitors to the destination, positively impacting hotels, restaurants, local attractions, as well as artisans and will open greater accessibility for more visitors to experience this country’s vibrant culture, exquisite cuisine and unique heritage.”
The new service links Port of Spain to key Caribbean destinations, including St. Lucia, Barbados, Antigua, St. Vincent and Grenada, and is also expected to strengthen regional economic ties, the release states.
The regional carrier is being re-introduced as a joint venture between the government of Antigua and Barbuda (30% shareholder) and Air Peace Caribbean (70% shareholder). As such, Minister Mitchell commended the various stakeholders for uniting “to transform ideas into tangible benefits for the people of the Caribbean”.
Minister Mitchell congratulated the leadership of LIAT20 on the airline’s return to service and for its unwavering commitment to connecting the Caribbean. He highlighted LIAT’s pivotal role in regional travel and tourism and credited LIAT with bringing approximately 75,000-82,000 visitors from the Caribbean to this country annually during its 2017-2018 operations. This accounted for 20% of market share in visitor arrivals, according to the release.
To date, the Caribbean trails the United States of America as the second largest source market for visitors to Trinidad and Tobago.
The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts looks forward to welcoming visitors to Trinidad and Tobago as it continues to strengthen the tourism sector and facilitate the environment necessary for an exciting and unforgettable visitor experience, the release concludes.
