[UPDATED] New Tobago airport opens March 15, hoteliers want info on new flights

22 Hrs Ago

Work almost complete at the new ANR Robinson International Airport in Crown Point. - Visual Styles/File photo

THE new ANR Robinson International Airport will be opened on March 15.

The announcement was made by the Prime Minister on February 26 at the commissioning of the O'Meara Road upgrade project at the Ministry of Works and Transport, O'Meara Road, Arima.

The opening of the airport will be one of Dr Rowley's last official duties before he resigns the post on March 16.

The airport, with its new terminal and other facilities, is expected to be a significant boost to Tobago's tourism, with the capacity to accommodate three million passengers annually.

China Railway Construction was the main contractor on the billion-dollar project, which was managed by the National Infrastructure Development Company Ltd.

Finance Minister Colm Imbert has acknowledged there were delays in the project, primarily owing to covid19, as well as cost overruns.

Chamber: Room stock, standard must improve

Responding to questions from Newsday on February 26, Tobago Business Chamber head Martin George said the organisation was heartened, but said there is more work to be done, particularly in the hotel sector.

"It needs to be scenario where you have to get the hotel-room stock up to numbers and up to standard and quality. You need to increase service delivery in Tobago," George said.

"If you want to be player, even a minor player in the tourism industry, you need to up your game. You need high-end hotel rooms. That will then cause the airlines to come, and once you have the airlift then you will justify the bright, spanking, shiny, new airport."

He said there are many things that need to be put in place if Tobago can capitalise on the new airport's capacity.

"At present we not doing numbers near that. Even Piarco is not doing three million passengers per year. It is good to have the new terminal, but that is not the solution. It's the starting point, but not the finish line. There is a lot more work to be done in terms of the tourism landscape in Tobago."

He said a major marina is a necessity as well as the repeal of the Foreign Investment Act. He said discussions were held with Imbert whom he said was not averse to the idea of repealing the act.

George said he hopes Stuart Young, who is poised to replace Rowley, visits Tobago to have discussions on Tobago's economic future.

Hoteliers await info on more flights

President of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association Alpha Lorde said more details are needed on what new flights will be coming to Tobago.

He said the operational opening of the airport will be later in the year.

He said his members are "always working on developing their product," but they are out of the loop with respect to what changes are being made with routes.

He said, in the winter period there are four international flights to Tobago: two British Airways flights, one from Condor Airlines and a Caribbean Airlines (CAL) flight.

Lorde said, in summer Tobago received one British Airways flight and one from CAL.

He said more work needs to be done in the markets so hoteliers would be aware of who they are catering to and how many people are expected.

He said it would be difficult to plan or predict if they are in the dark about what new initiatives are taking place.

This story was originally published with the title "PM to open new Tobago airport on March 15" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.