News coming out of the Routes Americas conference in Las Vegas last week seems relatively positive for St. Maarten/St. Martin. Southwest Airlines is supposedly serious about adding Princess Juliana International Airport SXM to its ongoing expansion into the Caribbean in 2018, although there are a number of conditions on which work must start immediately.
The importance of this new airlift possibly out of Fort Lauderdale should not be underestimated, considering the carrier’s extensive reach into parts of the US where the destination’s current market share certainly leaves room for growth. The Northeastern seaboard, particularly the tri-state area, has always been the main source of visitors to the island, but targeting other American regions more through the availability of favourable connections makes all the sense in the world.
Also JetBlue’s service to the destination appears to be going well. Here too flights from Fort Lauderdale are an option, but solid commitments will require further discussion.
The end of the carrier’s flights from Puerto Rico last year was regretted for obvious reasons, but the arrangement with Seaborne Airline is said to be satisfactory. The latter has announced increasing the frequency to daily on the San Juan-SXM route for the rest of the year, which could mean a drop in fares but also enhanced service and reliability.
Of course, the reality remains that flights will only start and be maintained as long as there is sufficient demand. That’s why ensuring “The Friendly Island” continues to offer a good product is essential.
What also help are new developments and attractions that create interest among travellers, such as Rainforest Adventure Park. It’s therefore highly desirable to provide clarity on other major ventures that remain pending such as the “Pearl of China” at Belair and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) US $100-150 million project at the harbour sooner rather than later not just locally, but for key stakeholders abroad that contribute to the tourism economy.
