PANAMA--Although the final decision is still a week away, Commissioner of Tourism Frans Richardson and Head of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Regina Labega are "99.9 per cent" certain that Copa Airlines will start servicing the island this December.
Richardson and Labega met on Wednesday with International Sales Director for Copa Adolfo Sen in the last session to finalise the flight. Copa officials will now discuss the final details based on information provided by the St. Maarten officials and is expected to make the official announcement next Friday, September 3.
Copa will be a direct flight from Panama, servicing the island twice weekly, arriving on Fridays and Tuesdays at 4:50pm and utilising an Embraer 90-seat aircraft. Labega explained that Copa was looking at both flights in the course of the workweek, but for St. Maarten Fridays and Tuesdays work best, allowing both business and leisure traveller the advantages of the weekend and Monday.
St. Maarten will commit US $1 million in pulling and pushing the new market, while other promotions will be executed cooperatively with Copa. The new flight will be for an 18-month introductory period, with parties from both sides expecting the route and the fight to grow based on projections.
Sonesta Maho and Great Bay Resorts have already indicated that they will work with Copa in terms of packages rates. "We expect the route to grow but naturally we need all stakeholders on board, "Labega said. " We pushed Princess Juliana International Airport as a hub for this region, which also facilitates growth of the flight," she added.
Furthermore, Labega continued, Copa officials were "very excited" about the possibility of forming a strategic alliance with Winair and the connectivity options such an alliance would create. Discussions on this front are expected to commence soon.
She pointed out that the amount of business that is already done between St. Maarten and Panama should not be underestimated or undervalued. Therefore, she said, the destination's goal to grow St. Maarten as a hub for the region is not solely on airlift, but for cargo as well.
Discussions with Copa also focussed on St. Maarten obtaining country status in October and how this new governing structure would allow St. Maarten to forge new partnerships that can lead to mutual growth. "It's about long term, sustainable relationships. We can even delve into the convention business, attracting various initiatives from their region. We also told them that the business community in St. Maarten is already excited that Copa will be servicing the island," Labega said.
She went on to credit the Commissioner for always ensuring that the marketing funds are available and accessible for these new flights. To that the Commissioner commented: "It makes no sense to meet with potential new business and not know if the financing is available to secure that new business.
"Copa is part of our continuing effort to attract new business to St. Maarten. We have been successful with GOL Airlines from the South American market and we are confident Copa from the Central American market will be successful as well," Richardson said.
Copa has been on the radar for St. Maarten for quite some time as a strategic objective outlined in the Airlift Development Policy Plan and the Tourism Master Plan. When finalised, Copa will be the third airline the Commissioner has secured for St. Maarten since taking office in July 2009. WestJet out of Canada and GOL out of Brazil being the other two.
