FREEPORT, GB - Westjet Airlines, the Canada based low cost carrier, began twice weekly service here on Monday, marking what tourism executives feel ?is the beginning of good things? for Grand Bahama. The 737-700 series aircraft carrying 129 passengers and a crew of six touched down at Grand Bahama International Airport Monday afternoon to live Junkanoo and rake an? scrape music, and a big welcome from leading Grand Bahamians.

Heading the Government?s team were Tourism Minister Senator the Hon Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Works and Transport Minister the Hon Neko Grant, and Minister of State for Finance the Hon Zhivargo Laing.

Executives from the Grand Bahama Airport Company, Grand Bahama Port Authority and senior executives from the travel industry were on hand to greet guests. ?This is a wonderful, wonderful welcome and we feel most welcomed on the Island of Grand Bahama and in Freeport,? said Richard Bartrem, Vice President, Culture and Communications for Westjet. Monday?s arrival represented the third time Westjet is flying to The Bahamas from Toronto and Calgary.

Monday also marked the date Westjet took delivery of its eighty-second aircraft, which would allow them to service more markets, said Mr Bartrem.
Between now and 2016 Westjet is expected will have a fleet of 135 aircraft. ?There and many more aircraft coming and many more islands in The Bahamas that I imagine we can fly too,? he said. Tourism Minister, Senator Vanderpool-Wallace, said he was pleased to see the Grand Bahama/Canada route re-established. This island use to receive direct flights from Toronto forty years ago. ?Grand Bahama is one of the closest warm weather island destination to Canada,? he said. ?For a long time we found ourselves in a situation where the distance between Toronto and Grand Bahama was not reflected in the airfare.

?There were lots of other destinations where people could fly beyond us and find themselves with lower air fare and better deals. ?Well, we feel this is the beginning of that end for us, to make sure that from here forward Grand Bahama is going to be far more competitive than it ever was,? said Mr Vanderpool-Wallace. ?Now the work really begins for all of us.

?For variety of reasons, the most successful island destination in our part of the world should be Grand Bahama.

?We at the Ministry of Tourism are going to work very, very hard to make sure that that is so.?