Although crime is a concern, Tobago still has a lot going for it, according to Andre Bello, commercial manager, Caribbean, for Virgin Atlantic Airways.With the airline set to resume flights to the island with a weekly service starting on March 29, Trinidad-born Bello told the T&T Guardian yesterday several factors have changed prompting the airline to return to the route.
These include positive indicators for growth for the carrier on its Caribbean routes, including Tobago, and additions to the Virgin Atlantic fleet of aircraft more suited to the markets the carrier caters to in the region.He said a seven point shift in the UK GDP in recent years is another encouraging indicator that more British visitors will be travelling to the region.
Bello, who noted recent concern about fall out for Tobago tourism following the murders of a German couple on the island last week, said while safety and security were important factors, "many other things go into the brand of a country."
"Tobago still has a lot of things going for it," he said.
This time around, Virgin will operate a year-round service to Tobago with weekly departures between March and October, and twice weekly departures between October and March. The destination will be served from London's Gatwick airport as an additional stop after St Lucia.
Bello said the flights will operate on the A330-300 aircraft the carrier now uses on long-haul leisure routes. He described it as "the right aircraft for Tobago" with much more upper class seats to meet the high demand for luxury leisure and business travel.
He said the airline has experienced positive growth in the Caribbean this year, with regular flights to Cuba, Jamaica, Antigua, St Lucia, Grenada and Barbados.
"The Caribbean routes in both directions has always performed well for Virgin Atlantic," he said, adding that the resumption of flights to Tobago fits in with the airline's overall strategic plan.
Bello, 47, joined Virgin Atlantic in 2012 and was promoted to lead the Caribbean team this year, becoming the first non-UK person to hold that senior position. Before that he had been based in Jamaica as marketing manager for JMMB. He had been general manger of marketing for the Maritime Group in Trinidad before relocating to Jamaica.