THE Caribbean Star airline has started daily flights between Trinidad and Guyana with links to any of the East Caribbean countries.

The daily service was launched Monday with a ceremony at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, where Tourism Minister, Mr. Manzoor Nadir urged airlines to go for packaging with the hotels so that passengers can have all inclusive tickets.

The minister noted that tourism was important to the diversification of the Guyana economy and welcomed the introduction of the service.

Caribbean Star's Director of Sales and Alliances, Mr. Tom Scarlett, expressing pleasure at the introduction of the daily flights, said he was heartened by the number of advance bookings already made to Trinidad for the upcoming Carnival season. He said their flights will be "quite heavy" over the next week or so.

The airline will be using a fleet of eight aircraft for the Guyana route - six 37-seaters and two 50-seaters, and from Monday began going to 12 destinations.

The Antigua-based airline, which has been in operation for about a year, began Guyana flights on December 7 last, initially offering two flights per week to Barbados.

Scarlett, at the ceremony in the VIP lounge at the airport, said it was an honour to have Caribbean Star Airline (CSA) operate the Port of Spain-Guyana flight, since he feels Guyana needs the additional link - not only to the Caribbean, but to the rest of the world.

He explained that the service originates in Antigua, makes one stop in Barbados then on Port of Spain from where it heads to Guyana. From Georgetown it returns to Barbados, turns around and back to Georgetown, on to Port of Spain and then back to Barbados and Antigua.

He said one aircraft pretty much dedicated to the Guyana route is an indication of CSA's dedication to this country.

TOURISM BOOST
Noting this was an official boost for tourism here, he said many people are not yet aware of the majestic Kaieteur Falls and other great tourism attractions here. He said the service will ideally offer an opportunity to bring many more tourists to Guyana.

Scarlett is looking forward to coming here "time and time again", now that the daily service has been launched.

Nadir congratulated CSA on its initiative noting that Guyana is looking to tourism for new opportunities in the economy.

Pointing out that 20 per cent of tourism here comes from the Caribbean, he said it was a good market to start with. However, he said Guyana wants to see the airlines doing "packaging with the hotels" so that persons can have all inclusive tickets - offering accommodation, perhaps breakfast and an opportunity to make a trip to the rainforest.

"These packages can be seen as one of the important ways of marketing Guyana and bringing more people to our shores", he said.

He observed that many times airlines and hotels have excess capacity, adding, "It's going to be the prudent groups that will link their strengths to overcome the weaknesses in the slow periods."

"I want to challenge Caribbean Star Airline to look at creating these packages", he urged and evoked a positive response from Scarlett who undertook to work towards this.

Nadir shared the view that the Guyanese population residing from Tortola right down to Barbados was significant, adding that many of them would want to come home, particularly for Mashramani, Christmas, Easter, Diwali, African Emancipation and other festivals.

He advised that if Caribbean Star can bear in mind those festivals, it will be well on the way towards pulling a lot of seats during the periods.

Nadir also unveiled plans for Guyana to be established as a 'Shopping Paradise' for people from the Caribbean who will find it useful and of interest to travel to Guyana instead of travelling north.

He envisions a linking up with Caribbean Star, the Government and the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana to promote markets for Guyana, and urged the private and public sectors to establish a partnership so that all can share the benefits.

TOURISM AUTHORITY IN TWO MONTHS
Noting that the Tourism Authority will be coming on stream within the next two months, he said he was eagerly looking forward to dedicating more people and resources, and promoting Guyana as a tourism destination.

Acting Manager of Product and Service Development with the Tourism and Industrial Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago, Ms. Michelle McLeod, who came in for the launching, said the occasion marked a significant milestone in Trinidad & Tobago's continuous attempt to attain global competitiveness, by developing its tourism sector.

Air transportation was an important component of the company's development strategy and the decision by Caribbean Star to connect Port of Spain with Guyana was of paramount importance, she said.

"The timeliness of this partnering cannot be over-emphasised as the region seeks to bounce back from recent travel industry events," she noted.

She is optimistic that "a multiplicity of benefits" can be derived from such an alliance, including added quality service and economic value to the region.

McLeod said her company is convinced that as Caribbean Star continues to strive for airline service excellence, with convenient scheduling, warm and reliable service, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana will evolve as Caribbean tourism destinations.

She calculated that on average, Trinidad and Tobago receives some 20,000 visitors from Guyana annually, adding, "We expect this figure will increase appreciably with the advent of this Caribbean Star service."

She estimated that there should be an additional 200-250 seats each week.

McLeod complimented the efforts of CSA at augmenting the service to the region in "quantity and quality", noting that this will go a long way towards increasing the Caribbean's capacity to be its own tourism market.

She acknowledged that CSA is assuming prominence, with 20 per cent of Guyanese passengers and one third of Trinidad's visitors coming from the region. "It's gaining prominence in Trinidad, particularly with the advent of several new shopping facilities," she said.

McLeod reiterated that her company will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure long-term goals and successful tourism development are realised.

Mr. Manniram Prashad, Chairman of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport and Presidential Advisor on Investment, joined in congratulating CSA. He noted there are plans to expand the airport and is confident that the linkages CSA is about to create will do well for Guyana.

Joining in congratulating the initiative were Guyana's Honorary Consul to Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Lakshmi Rampersaud, and Chief Executive Officer of the airport, Mr. Leon Romero.

Other officials on the inaugural flight were Mr. Shane Pilgrim, Regional Sales Manager, South Caribbean Star Airlines, who chaired the ceremony; Ms. Sherma Lai Fook, Manager, Caribbean Star (Port of Spain); and Ms. Adjua Enyella, Reservation Agent, also in Port of Spain.

Also in the welcoming party was Managing Director of Caribbean Atlantic Travel, Mr. K.A. Ramjohn. (SHIRLEY THOMAS)