KLM ‘much-needed good news’ for Bajan tourism

The reintroduction of a direct flight from continental Europe will open up additional markets and bring tens of thousands of visitors, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins predicted Monday as she hailed the return of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.

The new service is expected to provide 20,000 seats into Barbados over the next five months.

It was a KLM service that inaugurated Barbadian civil aviation on October 19, 1938 when a flight from Trinidad was the first aircraft to bring passengers and mail to the new airport Seawell, the forerunner to the Grantley Adams International Airport.

Senator Cummins said KLM’s arrival was much-needed good news in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is always the need for good news,” she said. “There is always the need for people to take a break from the constant angst that COVID generates and the return of KLM and all that it means for Barbados and the tourism industry is definitely good news.

“For many months many of our tourism workers were without jobs, many of them were awaiting indications that hotels were going to be filling up with high levels of occupancy, that flights were going to be increasing with load capacity, and of course the return of partners like KLM and new partners has been a signal to them that once more their lives can get back to normal.”

The tourism minister said KLM’s commitment was further evidence Barbados was among one of the top destinations in the world and would also provide opportunities for Barbados to tap into the European market.

KLM, the largest long-haul carrier in Europe, serves 318 destinations in 118 countries with 80 code-share partners.

It will operate non-stop from Amsterdam to Barbados three days a week – Monday, Thursday and Saturday, until March 31.

KLM’s General Manager for the Caribbean Claude Sarre told Barbados TODAY he was expecting the commercial flight to be well received.

“France is looking for routes that are able to open according to regulations with the COVID-19 situation and we thought it was important to have a destination that was safe. The measures taken by the Government are strict but at least it is a way to feel secure for the visitor who wants to enjoy their holiday in Barbados,” Sarre said.

“We do believe Barbados has great potential because the service is amazing in Barbados and we believe with the three flights a week we can make it possible. It’s not only Amsterdam, we are also linking Europe and the rest of the world and the French market is huge for Barbados to attract tourists in the winter for the next five months.”  (RB)