South Caribbean nation aims to draw direct flights with $240 million airport

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, comprising a string of 32 islands in the southern Caribbean, is investing $240 million in a new international airport that it hopes will be "a game-changer" driving a major increase in air traffic to the tropical destination.

Speaking to ATW last month at the World Route Development Forum in Vancouver, SVG Tourism Minister Glen Beache said that while the island nation's tourism industry is "growing by leaps and bounds," visitors often complain about how difficult it is to get there. Its current main airport (one of five on the islands) is served only by LIAT Q300 turboprops; many island visitors come via charter flights or private jets. The new airport, to be called Argyle International, is aimed at attracting "direct flights from major North American and European destinations and spur[ing] increasing investment in the country’s growing hospitality sector," according to a ministry of tourism statement.

The Argyle airport, which is being built on 175 acres, is the largest development project in SVG's history. Construction of the terminal building will commence later this year with an April 2012 opening targeted. It will be able to handle 1.4 million passengers annually, around four times more than the current airport's capacity. The runway will be 9,000 ft. long and 150 ft. wide, able to accommodate 747-400s, Beache said.

"The airline industry has been up and down," he commented. "Airlines are now looking for new up-and-coming destinations and St. Vincent and the Grenadines fits that bill." However, he cautioned, "We're not a mass tourism destination and I don't think we'll ever be one." But he believes it can develop into a strong niche market for travelers looking for "simplicity in their vacation."

He noted that the new airport will enable natives living abroad to travel more frequently to the islands. He explained that it is often difficult to arrange short stays owing to the nation’s lack of air service. "The diaspora is very excited about flying directly and having [access to] more frequent services…There are 25,000 [people from] St. Vincent living in Canada and more than that in the US."