Nevis, West Indies. ?A Non-Tourist-Trap? Blog About Nevis.

Low Cost Airline Ceased Operations Recently

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
April 17, 2012 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt, wants Caribbean governments to reach out to grounded low-cost airline REDjet to ensure its return to the Caribbean skies soon.

Minister Skerritt, in Guyana for the 13th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development, told journalists in Georgetown on Monday that there is a “pent-up” demand for air travel in the region, especially with the spiral cost for regional airlift.

Mr. Skerritt, who also chairs the Caribbean Tourism Organization, said high air travel cost will have dire consequences on regional tourism in the very near future.

He noted that REDjet’s recent suspension of its services, presents a valuable lesson to be learnt about the importance of affordable air transportation.

“You speak to Barbados and Guyana ministers which I have had the privilege to do with both just within the last week and both of them will tell you that REDjet was a major asset to them, it also stimulated competition” Skerritt remarked, adding that “Caribbean governments need to sit down and discuss whether you are an equity investor or not. What is needed to bring about affordable sustainable travel in the Caribbean.”

He wants regional governments to meeting the grounded airline’s officials and offered up the CTO to facilitate such gathering.

“I hope that by the time we meet for the State of the Industry conference in October this year in St. Kitts. What I hoped is that by then there would have been a significant (development) in the region and come to grips with the problem because OECS (Organisation of Easter Caribbean States) ministers met recently and this was the theme.

Recently REDjet officials met with Guyana’s ministers of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and Works to seek the country’s financial assistance in getting the carrier back in the Caribbean skies, however no definite position has been met.

The airline is also seeking outside investors, including from Venezuela.

REDjet suspended its operations early last month due to financial troubles, after it complained that it could not compete with other airlines that are receiving government subsidy, including the state-owned Trinidad Carrier Caribbean Airlines, which is receiving hefty fuel subsidy from the T&T government.

Trinidad is the only Caribbean country that revoked REDjet’s licence after the airline announced it was suspending operations.

However the Guyana government, one of the strong supporters of the airline’s entry to the regional market, said it has no intentions of suspending or revoking thier licence.

Related posts:

1. Another Regional Caribbean Airline (REDjet) Fails
2. St. Kitts – Nevis PM On Proposed REDjet Flight Routes
3. REDjet Interested In Flying Into St. Kitts – Nevis
4. American Airlines To Begin New York – St. Kitts – Nevis Service
5. Delta Airlines To Service St. Kitts – Nevis In 2008

REDjet Airlines Out Of Business In 10 Months

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
April 04, 2012 (CUOPM)

Chairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Sen. the Hon. Richard Skerritt says the Barbados-based low cost carrier, REDjet should serve as a motivator for developing an environment that would encourage intra-regional travel, noting that  during its 10 months of operations the airline had showed there is a pent up demand for such travel.

Mr. Skerritt, who is also Minister of Tourism and International Transport for St. Kitts and Nevis, told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that REDjet had been able to make a significant dent in intra-regional travel “which is being stifled by both capacity and ticket prices.”

“So there is no question that Caribbean people want to travel in the region at the right price, at the right aircraft at the right time.” REDjet was a costly experiment for the investors who put REDjet in place.

“It is a pity that REDjet had to collapse as a business so quickly,” Skerritt told CMC.

Related posts:

1. REDjet Interested In Flying Into St. Kitts – Nevis
2. St. Kitts – Nevis PM On Proposed REDjet Flight Routes
3. Nevis Premier Commends Regional Airline LIAT
4. OECS Tourism Ministers Look For Ways To Improve Intra-regional Travel
5. Price Waterhouse Firms Form Regional Caribbean Network

Unfair Tax Burden On Caribbean Tourists

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
March 31, 2012 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Tourism, Sen. Hon. Richard Skerritt and other Caribbean tourism officials continue rejecting the decision of the British Government of increasing, starting Sunday, a tax to British holidaymakers.

Last week, the administration of the United Kingdom confirmed that the Air Passenger Duty (APD) will rise by 8 per cent as of April 1, despite several criticisms of the initiative.

“This measure will affect the economy of our area,” noted Skerritt, who is also Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO).

“The APD has contributed to the decrease in British tourists visiting our country and also the members of the Caribbean community in the United Kingdom have reduced their trips to the region,” pointed out Skerritt.

According to Secretary General of the Caribbean Association of Hotels and Tourism, Alec Sanguinetti, nearly 1,373,600 tourists from the United Kingdom visited the region in 2007, while in 2010, that number dropped to 1,103,400.

Recent statistics from the British Airways which flies from London-Gatwick on Tuesdays and Saturdays, brought in 8,329 passengers in 2011, compared to 7,822, an increase of 6.48 percent or 507 more passengers.

Related posts:

1. Nevis Flights via American Airlines To Cost More
2. British Government Delays Air Passenger Duty Tax For Flights To The Caribbean
3. St. Kitts – Nevis Shows Drop In Flights Landed
4. St. Kitts – Nevis Welcomes British Airways Flights
5. St. Kitts – Nevis Tourism Adversley Affected By British Passenger Duty Tax