If tourism is the lifeblood of the Caribbean then the region’s airports are its arteries, pumping that vital resource around the islands. Around 30 million visitors come to the Caribbean each year, most of them by plane. For these arrivals, the airport is their first impression of the destination. The guest who is greeted by a sleek, modern transport hub with efficient systems and helpful staff is likely to become a return visitor. The passenger met by crumbling buildings containing mediocre and limited services is almost certain to look elsewhere when planning their next vacation.
Recognising the value of a state-of-the-art airport, Saint Lucia has embarked on a US$ 175mn overhaul of Hewanorra International Airport (HIA). Going beyond a mere revamp, the huge project is part of a 30-year masterplan for the airport’s future and includes a new air traffic control tower, two-storey terminal building and private jet terminal alongside an extensive car park and road network system.
The region’s best performers
The full-scale expansion and rejuvenation of HIA is just one of many airport renaissances taking place around the region. In March Prince Charles took time out from his Caribbean tour to officially open the new and improved Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman. The CI$ 55mn upgrade brought in a new baggage system, immigration hall, shopping gallery and food court. According to Cayman Airport Authority CEO Albert Anderson, the development has more than quadrupled the facility’s capacity, paving the way for Grand Cayman to welcome 2.7 million passengers a year in comparison to the 500,000 envisioned when the airport was first built in the 1950s.
In terms of passenger arrivals, the destination to beat in the Caribbean is Cancun. Cancun International Airport added 30 new air routes in 2018 and processed 25 million passengers, making it the region’s fastest growing airport. In comparison, Saint Lucia’s HIA welcomed nearly 650,000 passengers in 2016 according to figures from the Saint Lucia Air and Sea Port Authority (SLASPA) and the government estimates that it will boost this number to a million a year when the redevelopment is complete.
Passenger numbers are one thing, but passenger experiences are arguably more important that the statistics. Global air transportation watchdog, Airports Council International (ACI), ranks the world’s airports based on passenger feedback. The ACI’s annual Airport Service Quality awards recognise the best performers in categories such as airport ambience, infrastructure and customer service. Last year, Costa Rica’s Juan Santamaria International Airport won Most Improved in the Latin America-Caribbean region while the Dominican Republic’s Aeropuerto Internacional Punta Cana took home Best Airport Serving Between 5 and 15 million passengers in Latin America-Caribbean.
Passenger trends
What makes regional airports excel is not just a matter of providing good facilities but also responding to trends in the industry. The airports of tomorrow are likely to be shaped by three major factors: the need for enhanced security to allay terrorist threats and crimes such as drug trafficking; advances in technology, and a move towards more environmentally responsible travel.
Smart technology is revolutionising the travel experience. Biometrics is the latest frontier in this movement and several major US carriers such as Delta and Jet Blue are already experimenting with facial recognition and fingerprint software to speed up boarding and keep track of passengers. Heathrow Airport in London made headlines recently as it announced a full-scale rollout of facial recognition services for the summer 2019 season, tracking passengers throughout their entire airport journey, from bag drop to boarding.
In Asia, which is often at the forefront of technology adoption, Haneda Robotics Lab plans to trial seven robots in a live airport environment. These chatbots will be on hand to answer passenger questions, transport luggage and identify security risks. Haneda Airport in Japan is looking at using a full fleet of the robots as it prepares for the Tokyo Olympics next year.
Sophisticated technology is tying into the need for greater security with smart tech used to screen and monitor both passengers and their luggage, provide electronic tagging for baggage and upgrade airport digital infrastructure to strengthen it against cyber-attacks.
But passengers don’t just want easy, secure travel. Thanks to climate change going mainstream, the public now has an environmental conscience and travellers are more mindful, and appreciative, of transport hubs that try to reduce their environmental impact. While airports may not seem like the obvious choice for eco-innovation, there are a number of Caribbean facilities embracing the challenge. Antigua led the way in 2016 when it opened the region’s first airport solar power plant. The 3 megawatt installation at VC Bird International Airport includes more than 12,000 photovoltaic panels and can generate up to 4.6 MWh per year — almost entirely covering the electricity consumption of the entire airport, according to developers PV Energy.
Both The Bahamas’ Lynden Pindling International Airport (recently revamped in a four-year, US$ 409mn redevelopment) and the newly opened Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman are also making use of energy efficient tools. The architecture of both facilities is designed to take advantage of natural light while their air conditioning systems run off geothermal technology. They also employ LED lighting to bring down energy consumption.
Island challenges
For many island nations, overhauling their airports is hard enough without taking into account energy concerns, technological advances and security issues. Connectivity is key for small island states but challenges include lack of land, the impact of severe weather events, the costly equipment needed and finding appropriate funding partners. For countries like The Bahamas, an archipelago comprising of over 700 islands and cays, stakeholders must also consider the huge costs of building links between each small island to spread the tourism dollar throughout the whole country.
The costs are high, but the rewards are potentially huge. And, in a world where global competition for tourism is fierce, Caribbean destinations simply do not have a choice; they must either upgrade or be left behind.
The redevelopment of HIA has had its share of bumps in the road. In the works for almost a decade, the project was marred by concerns over financing, construction delays and political opposition. Hotly debated in parliament, the development drew criticism for its staggering debt with SLASPA borrowing EC$ 202.5mn from Bank of Saint Lucia to help fund the work.
Construction on HIA finally broke ground earlier this year and the airport is expected to open mid-2021. Although its impact on tourism figures may not be seen for some time, the government estimates that it will spur the development of at least 1,000 new hotel rooms. The official opening was a time of celebration for all stakeholders as they neared the finish line on what SLASPA Acting General Manager Daren Cenac called a “once in a generation project”.
