State Tourism Minister Greets First Liat Air Service Linking Guadeloupe and Montego Bay

Hon. Tova Hamilton, Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, greeted the first Liat Air arrival from Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe, into Montego Bay on July 14. Officials present the new link as an important step in tightening bonds among Caribbean territories, their economies and their citizens.

The aircraft landed at Sangster International Airport with 33 travellers aboard. It inaugurates a year-round timetable of two flights each week, scheduled for Tuesdays and Saturdays. Frequency is expected to rise toward daily operations once passenger demand supports that expansion.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Hamilton argued that the route does more than ferry travellers between two cities. In her view, it gives Jamaica an opening into the French Caribbean, deepens access to European markets and unlocks new commercial and community prospects.

“Every seat on this aircraft represents opportunity for a taxi operator waiting on the outside of this airport, opportunity for a farmer supplying fresh produce to our hotels, opportunity for an artisan whose craftsmanship tells Jamaica’s story, and opportunity for a young entrepreneur building a business,” Ms. Hamilton explained. “Also, there is opportunity for more of the tourism dollar to stay where it belongs – in the hands of the people whose talent, hard work, and hospitality bring Jamaica to life every single day,” she added.

She linked the service to Tourism 3.0, the Ministry’s framework that seeks not only higher arrival counts but a larger direct share of tourism earnings for Jamaicans. The region, she said, will fall short if islands remain cut off from one another; its power comes from freer movement of people, goods and culture.

“To the captain, crew, and passengers of this inaugural flight, welcome home to Jamaica. You are among the first to travel the route that we believe will carry many more in the years ahead,” Ms. Hamilton said.

Liat Air Chief Operating Officer Obiukwu Mbanuzuo expressed gratitude to the partners who made the air link possible. He cast the service as a bond between two countries, their populations and their economies, not merely a point-to-point schedule. According to Mr. Mbanuzuo, the flights shrink journey times between the islands to only a few hours, replacing multi-leg itineraries and easing family visits as well as new commercial relationships.

Councillor Richard Vernon, Mayor of Montego Bay and Chairman of the St James Municipal Corporation, praised Liat Air’s progress since the carrier began operations and its role in joining Montego Bay to destinations abroad. He said the Guadeloupe connection advances Jamaica’s effort to widen its tourism source markets.

“We will continue to connect to the world as we make this airport a real hub in the Caribbean to connect anywhere across the Caribbean,” Mr. Vernon underscored.