Virgin Airlines will make its return to Tobago next Sunday (29 March) with a weekly flight service. This will double to two flights per week during the UK’s winter season.

This was confirmed by Secretary of the Division of Tourism and Transportation (DOTT) Tracy Davidson-Celestine yesterday (March 25, 2015) during the weekly Post Executive Council media briefing, who said the airline’s return is important to Tobago.

Said Davidson-Celestine: “You have another major international airline carrier traversing the London-Gatwick to Tobago route. The UK market is a very important market for us. We have been seeing growth in that market over the last three years. It means that we have more than enough airlifts coming out of the UK to Destination Tobago.”

The Tourism Secretary indicated that Virgin Airlines and Virgin Holidays had been selling Destination Tobago and “working hand in hand with the Division of Tourism and Transportation.”

Car and tour operators, as well as other local businesses can benefit from the airline’s arrival, Davidson-Celestine stated. In addition, the Division has a number of packages available to encourage tourists to visit the island, such as the Tobago Jazz Experience.

Speaking about the cruise sector, Davidson-Celestine said she expects to see double-digit growth in arrivals from October 2015, when the new season starts. During the 2015 Carnival season, DOTT announced that Tobago will be added as a port of call for Carnival Cruise Lines, one of the world’s biggest cruise liner companies.

As much as 65 percent of passengers on European cruise lines participate in island excursions, the Secretary disclosed. She called on Tobagonians to play their part in the tourism industry.

“My call now is for Tobagonians to participate, for Tobagonians to prepare for these additional visitors that will be coming to the destination. We want to ensure that we maximise the benefits from cruise tourism as much as possible. We believe that there are still opportunities for us to capitalise on.”