The Cayman Islands Minister for Tourism and Ports Kenneth Bryan has announced a series of planned enhancements to the country's airport infrastructure to improve the safety, comfort and efficiency of the Islands airport operations.
The announcement was made at a press conference recently during which Minister Bryan said that four projects have been given green signal by the cabinet to move to the next phases of development at a combined cost of CI$76 million (approximately $91 million).
The four projects include:
- Extension of the runway at the Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM), the country's main international air gateway in Grand Cayman;
- Runway End Safety Area (RESA) works to be carried out at the Charles Kirkconnell International Airport in Cayman Brac;
- Construction of a new General Aviation Airport;
- Installation of an Air Traffic Control Surveillance system at GCM.
Minister Bryan said, "With up to 25 percent of the Cayman Islands GDP derived from tourism, extending the runway at Owen Roberts International Airport is expected to be a game-changer for the Islands tourism industry. Direct service from long-haul destinations in Europe and South America will become a more convenient reality for travelers by eliminating the need for additional connections en route."
Cayman Islands Director of Tourism Rosa Harris, who joined the minister on the panel alongside the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) CEO Albert Anderson and CIAA Board Chairman Johann Moxam, said that a new General Aviation Airport would enable a more luxurious experience to be provided to private jet passengers. "The Cayman Islands are recognized and marketed as a top-tier destination synonymous with quality, style and luxury, and the new General Aviation Airport will be more in keeping with our Islands premium brand positioning," she said.
Explaining how the projects would be funded, Minister Bryan explained that the passenger terminal fee would increase to CI$5.00 and a CI$15 airport development fee would be introduced only during the construction period, which is estimated to be from 2024 to 2029.
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