Roombaguy
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In todays compass:
Direct flights to Toronto this year
Schedule to be released on Wednesday
Direct flights three times weekly between Grand Cayman and Toronto are scheduled to start in December.
The flights will be operated by WestJet from Owen Roberts International Airport, subject to the conclusion of negotiations, Premier McKeeva Bush said in a speech in the Legislative Assembly last week.
This possibility of three weekly nonstop flights from Toronto would be a significant boost to our airlift offering from Canada and provide some competition on the route, he said.
Discussions have been led on behalf of the government by the Ministerial Council for Tourism and Development and the marketing body, the Department of Tourism, he added.
Risk mitigation
Pilar Bush of the Ministerial Council for Tourism and Development, which is formulating a tourism plan on behalf of the government, has been engaged in multiple negotiation rounds and is close to reaching an agreement with WestJet, which has asked for risk mitigation in the event that the route underperforms. Discussions on this matter are ongoing, she said.
The premier had previously told the Legislative Assembly that it was Cayman Islands policy not to offer operating subsidies for foreign carriers.
Details have not been finalised but foreign airlines usually want performance guarantee of some sort, such as a minimum revenue guarantee or a minimum profitability margin in order to commit to new service. A significant part of the negotiation is to demonstrate that Cayman can help support the performance of the route through our marketing efforts and generating demand in Canada for the Cayman Islands, said Pilar Bush.
To give some context to the discussions, consider that one example of a close working relationship might be to look at schedule connectivity in Tampa, allowing Canadian visitors to connect with Cayman Airways at its Tampa gateway on days that WestJet did not operate the nonstop service. Another example is facilitating the sale of inter-island tickets by WestJet for Canadian visitors wanting to travel through to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman and another example is to ensure web links between the two airlines websites.
In his speech, Mr. Bush said the Toronto route was one that could enhance tourism arrivals.
Canada has demonstrated strong growth potential for the Cayman Islands and it is a market I believe can provide significant new visitors to the Cayman Islands, both as incremental leisure tourists and as persons visiting friends and family who live and work here. We will require the full support of the local tourism industry and the Canadians who reside here to ensure the success of the route, he noted.
Robert Palmer of WestJet said the company could not provide any schedule or seasonal information at this time, but that the WestJet winter schedule would be released on 30 June.
Growth markets
The Canadian market comprises around 8 per cent of monthly tourist arrivals. At the moment, said Ms Bush of the Ministerial Council, the Department of Tourism is in the process of analysing the sector to identify any targets for growth that might be feasible. Canada is not the only route that is being explored for possible future expansion, she said.
We are actively evaluating the source markets that have the best potential to support nonstop service, and these discussions have been initiated with Cayman Airways. We intend to discuss these options with other carriers as well in those instances when Cayman Airways may not be best suited to provide the service.
However, she said, Cayman Airways remains our first choice and starting point, as an investment with [the national carrier] has a greater multiplier effect on the local economy.
Ms Bush said the resumption of the nonstop service to John F. Kennedy International Airport by Delta Airlines after an absence of five years, plus Cayman Airways own New York services pointed to the citys importance as a source market.
Discussions with multiple carriers will also include routes to Europe, she said.
The government meets twice annually with British Airways and always with a view to improving, or increasing the frequency of service to Cayman. Last year, the premier initiated discussions with Virgin Atlantic about transatlantic service and these discussions are scheduled to resume in the summer or early fall, she said.
cayCompass.com :: Direct flights to Toronto this year
Direct flights to Toronto this year
Schedule to be released on Wednesday
Direct flights three times weekly between Grand Cayman and Toronto are scheduled to start in December.
The flights will be operated by WestJet from Owen Roberts International Airport, subject to the conclusion of negotiations, Premier McKeeva Bush said in a speech in the Legislative Assembly last week.
This possibility of three weekly nonstop flights from Toronto would be a significant boost to our airlift offering from Canada and provide some competition on the route, he said.
Discussions have been led on behalf of the government by the Ministerial Council for Tourism and Development and the marketing body, the Department of Tourism, he added.
Risk mitigation
Pilar Bush of the Ministerial Council for Tourism and Development, which is formulating a tourism plan on behalf of the government, has been engaged in multiple negotiation rounds and is close to reaching an agreement with WestJet, which has asked for risk mitigation in the event that the route underperforms. Discussions on this matter are ongoing, she said.
The premier had previously told the Legislative Assembly that it was Cayman Islands policy not to offer operating subsidies for foreign carriers.
Details have not been finalised but foreign airlines usually want performance guarantee of some sort, such as a minimum revenue guarantee or a minimum profitability margin in order to commit to new service. A significant part of the negotiation is to demonstrate that Cayman can help support the performance of the route through our marketing efforts and generating demand in Canada for the Cayman Islands, said Pilar Bush.
To give some context to the discussions, consider that one example of a close working relationship might be to look at schedule connectivity in Tampa, allowing Canadian visitors to connect with Cayman Airways at its Tampa gateway on days that WestJet did not operate the nonstop service. Another example is facilitating the sale of inter-island tickets by WestJet for Canadian visitors wanting to travel through to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman and another example is to ensure web links between the two airlines websites.
In his speech, Mr. Bush said the Toronto route was one that could enhance tourism arrivals.
Canada has demonstrated strong growth potential for the Cayman Islands and it is a market I believe can provide significant new visitors to the Cayman Islands, both as incremental leisure tourists and as persons visiting friends and family who live and work here. We will require the full support of the local tourism industry and the Canadians who reside here to ensure the success of the route, he noted.
Robert Palmer of WestJet said the company could not provide any schedule or seasonal information at this time, but that the WestJet winter schedule would be released on 30 June.
Growth markets
The Canadian market comprises around 8 per cent of monthly tourist arrivals. At the moment, said Ms Bush of the Ministerial Council, the Department of Tourism is in the process of analysing the sector to identify any targets for growth that might be feasible. Canada is not the only route that is being explored for possible future expansion, she said.
We are actively evaluating the source markets that have the best potential to support nonstop service, and these discussions have been initiated with Cayman Airways. We intend to discuss these options with other carriers as well in those instances when Cayman Airways may not be best suited to provide the service.
However, she said, Cayman Airways remains our first choice and starting point, as an investment with [the national carrier] has a greater multiplier effect on the local economy.
Ms Bush said the resumption of the nonstop service to John F. Kennedy International Airport by Delta Airlines after an absence of five years, plus Cayman Airways own New York services pointed to the citys importance as a source market.
Discussions with multiple carriers will also include routes to Europe, she said.
The government meets twice annually with British Airways and always with a view to improving, or increasing the frequency of service to Cayman. Last year, the premier initiated discussions with Virgin Atlantic about transatlantic service and these discussions are scheduled to resume in the summer or early fall, she said.
cayCompass.com :: Direct flights to Toronto this year
