BY PUBLIC RELATIONS | JAN 17, 2023
The Grantley Adams International Airport. (T. Barker/BGIS)
When recently questioned at a press briefing about GAIA’s ability to manage heavy passenger traffic, Chief Executive Officer of the Grantley Adams International Airport (GAIA) Inc., Hadley Bourne, reported that the organisation had utilised the slower period caused by the GOVID-19 pandemic to make structural and organisational advancements in anticipation of increased visitors to the island.
“We’ve upgraded our airline check-in infrastructure, which encourages a smoother flow and processing of the passenger. This results in a more relaxed passenger, and a relaxed passenger is likelier to patronise the airport shops, thereby contributing to foreign exchange. It’s all connected, and we take our contribution to the economy very seriously,” stated Mr. Bourne.
The GAIA Inc. CEO also reported that they upgraded the airport’s back-end baggage delivery processing and security enhancements at passenger check-in.
Mr. Bourne noted that the island’s winter season runs from November to March and shared that the airport is prepared for the high traffic which it hasn’t seen in approximately three years.
Using the UK as an example, the CEO reported that arrivals from this territory in 2022 were 26,080, which exceeds 2018 arrivals of 24,994.
Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Ian Gooding-Edghill, also referenced these figures when announcing that “Barbados’ tourism rebound is strong” at a recent press briefing.
