Does Jamaica really need an airline? Isn it just a drain on the economy?
M: No, I don’t accept that it is a drain on the economy. There is a net value to the economy brought by Air Jamaica. And the Government and the Opposition have bought in on the support of Air Jamaica. A very senior Ritz Carlton Hotel manager made the importance of the airline clear to me. He said that Jamaica is very special because of the airlift that we have. And this shows a direct correlation between direct airlift and the growth of the tourism product. Jamaica will have 5,000 (additional) rooms in the next couple of years. How do they plan to get tourists here? Its not like they can drive. The confidence that coming to Jamaica has is underpinned by a national airline that flies with regular frequency out of international gateways. And remember that every time Air Jamaica flies into a market, we are selling Jamaica. It is a very powerful marketing and distribution tool. FG: Then what is the specific strategic focus for Air Jamaica going forward? M: We intend to compete on several p
