Tourism numbers, outlook, improving

Reports from the Philip Goldson International Airport indicate that the post September travel slump may be over. According to a BTB release, tourist arrivals at the airport during March showed an increase of just under one percent over 2001. This follows slight decreases in January and February. The future looks even better as American Airlines has announced that it will add a second Miami flight during the busy summer months. This additional Boeing 737 will arrive in late evening and sleep at the P.G.I.A., departing early the next morning. This new route, in addition to carrying more Belizeans on holiday to the States, will allow one-day connections to and from Europe at a time when most Europeans prefer to travel. And in yet another positive development, it is believed that the American carrier U.S. Air is finalising plans to fly to Belize, thus greatly increasing capacity to the U.S. east coast.