May 17, 2013
“This is a very exciting development and we are pleased that Seaborne Airlines has taken over the San Juan-Fort-de-France route, allowing convenient connections with major US cities and the Caribbean. This new route, thanks to the interline agreement with American Airlines, will also allow more possibilities for Martinique locals to travel to North America.” – Karine Roy-Camille, Tourism Commissioner, Martinique
“We applaud JetBlue’s decision to begin flights between JFK and Fort Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as of December 2013. This news is welcomed by the Haitian community which has been waiting for the happy day when we can enjoy JetBlue’s award-winning service. Thank you JetBlue for casting your vote towards the development of our country and giving our diaspora the opportunity to visit the motherland more often. This will no doubt give a boost to our country’s economy.” – Charles Antoine Forbin, Consul General of the Republic of Haiti in New York
“We are extremely pleased that the U.S. Virgin Islands remains a popular port with the major cruise lines and their passengers. Since cruising remains one of the most affordable travel values, we are encouraged by the number of calls. In spite of a still relatively tough economy, WICO is growing, and we look forward to another season of significant growth.” – Joseph Boschulte, President and Chief Executive Officer, The West Indian Company (Virgin Islands Daily News)
“Last year, New York City welcomed an all-time high of 52 million visitors, who had an all-time high $55.3 billion impact on our economy. And so far this year, virtually every measure, from hotel rooms sold to arrivals at the airports serving New York, tell us that we’re doing even better in 2013. That’s translating into more jobs for New Yorkers. Our leisure and hospitality sector already employs more than 363,000 people in our city – an all-time record …growth in our tourism sector is a big reason why we continue to outpace the nation in job growth.” – Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City
“We are very happy to welcome Trinidad and Tobago back into the organization … Trinidad and Tobago has placed tourism as a priority within its strategy to diversify the national economy and we look forward to working with the tourism sector in the country to achieve this objective.” – Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UNWTO
“Comfort is the engine of Choice Hotels and an iconic brand. More than 72 million people stayed at a Comfort branded hotel in the United States last year and the brand continues to be a favorite among travelers. Today, we are putting our own balance sheet behind the brand in a monumental way. Hotel renovations improve guest satisfaction and through this investment ($40 million) we will accelerate improvement of the brand’s product quality and consistency, guest satisfaction and brand performance.” – Stephen P. Joyce, President and CEO, Choice Hotels International
“Airports are not just transportation infrastructure. They are multimodal, multifunctional enterprises generating considerable commercial development. Airports are now cities themselves. Airport planning must include just as much emphasis on commercial strategies as aeronautical strategies. There should be synergies between the two.” – Professor John Kasarda, Director, Center for Air Commerce, University of North Carolina