German leisure air carrier Condor Airways is scheduled to begin direct air service between Frankfurt, Germany, and Nassau as early as November, Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis said Thursday.

Condor Airways is headquartered in Frankfurt, operating from Frankfurt and Munich. The airline flies to some 90 destinations.

Prime Minister Minnis said the Government will actively seek to increase airlift, not just from traditional markets in the United Sates of America, but also from markets “further afield.”

“Air Service from the Frankfurt hub comes with the added benefit of connections to cities all over Western and Eastern Europe,” Prime Minister Minnis said.

“We must work to resolve the challenges of connecting visitors to our multiple tourism destinations. I again note, that we should identify any Bahamians interested in providing airlift from overseas.

“We must think boldly and widely, about how Bahamians can own, or be involved in, the multiple dimensions of tourism,” Prime Minister Minnis added

Prime Minister Minnis also laid out his Administration’s plans to “ensure the economic empowerment of the Family Islands.”

Addressing the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Board of Directors and Membership Meeting at the British Colonial Hilton, Prime Minister Minnis said the increase in airlift into The Bahamas is in conjunction with the further development of Family Island tourism destinations.

The plan for the further development of those Family Island destinations calls for the granting of Crown Land to ensure the economic empowerment of those destinations; assistance with technical and marketing support for projects utilizing these lands; and the provision of tax exemptions for specified periods.

“We will invest in the modernization of Family Island infrastructure with the goal of providing clean, potable water, good roads, modern airports and docks and we will incentivize locally-owned airlines to establish local hubs for inter-island transportation through strategic partnerships,” Prime Minister Minnis added. 

Prime Minister, Dr. the Hon. Hubert Minnis, left, addressed the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Board of Directors and Membership Meeting at the British Colonial Hilton on Thursday, June 15, 2017. Minister of Tourism and Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar is at centre, and President of BHTA, Carlton Russell is at right. (BIS Photo/Derek Smith)

By Matt Maura

Bahamas Information Services