TOURISM CONTINUES TO FLOURISH IN ST. KITTS AND NEVIS WITH VISITOR BOOM IN 2018

Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 16, 2019 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis continues to experience increased visitor arrivals according to the latest statistics revealed by the St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA).

Speaking at his monthly press conference on January 16, 2019, Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris said that “some 149,871 passengers came through the RLB Airport in 2018, compared to 140,338 in 2017.”

According to SCASPA, “this represents an additional 9533 passengers over 2017 for a seven (7) percent increase year on year.”

Additionally, there has been an upsurge in flights coming into the Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw (RLB) International Airport.

“Some 7947 flights came to the RLB Airport in 2018 – up 315 over the 7632 flights in 2017,” the prime minister said.

Furthermore, cruise tourism continues to boom necessitating a second cruise pier at Port Zante, which is presently being constructed. This pier will be able to accommodate two Oasis class cruise ships.

“Regarding cruise tourism, SCASPA is reporting that cruise passenger arrivals of 1,103,571 in 2018 versus 1,058,662 cruise passengers in 2017.  This represents an increase of 44,909 passengers,” Prime Minister Harris reported. “Twice in our history – and only under Team Unity – we have passed the one (1) millionth cruise passenger milestone. Congratulations to all stakeholders in the industry and to the Honorable Lindsay Grant, our Minister of Tourism.”

On the 5^th of January this year, the RLB International Airport broke record with the most numerous passenger arrivals in any given day in its history—2728 passengers travelled though the airport.

Prime Minister Harris said that in 20 years, there has been no major expansion at the airport but that this now must be considered with “record-breaking arrivals, the increase in airlifts and new destinations from which we now access direct flights.”

“Our Administration must seriously determine the next steps in the modernization and expansion of the RLB Airport,” he said.

“In the interim, the St. Christopher Air and Seaport Authority (SCASPA) and related Departments such as Tourism, Immigration and Customs will work cooperatively with other stakeholders to determine and implement measures to enhance the customer experience at the RLB Airport,” Prime Minister Harris said.