MONTEGO BAY, St James — Bahamasair commenced twice weekly flights between Nassau and Montego Bay on Sunday, and received a warm welcome from Jamaican tourism officials who praised the carrier for the direct air link between the two Caribbean states that Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart described as “superpower tourism destinations”.

“As a sixth-generation Jamaican in the tourism business, having this connection between these two countries, first and foremost, unlocks the ability between our two economies for locals to do business; to trade; to visit family, friends; for school and education — which has been one of the main thoroughfares for us over the years,” Stewart, who chair’s Jamaica’s Tourism Linkages Network, said at the welcome ceremony at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

“But, of course, for those of us in the tourism business it allows us to split sales and expand the reach of a single trip by connecting these two superpower tourism destinations,” added Stewart, who is also executive chairman of the Jamaica Observer.

He commended the airline’s chair, Tanya Pratt, and Managing Director Tracy Cooper for their vision in establishing the route, saying, “You are going to be in great hands coming to Jamaica… We are going to make sure this is an incredibly successful route.

“To my Bahamian family: ‘Welcome back to Jamaica!’ And, of course, to the Jamaican team: ‘We have to do everything possible to make this route successful and to continue to grow.’ To me, this is like a homecoming, a reunion of my two favourite places on the planet,” Stewart said.

“Thank you so much, Bahamasair, for taking the gamble. And I can tell you, from the Air Jamaica days this was one of our most successful routes and I have no doubt it is going to grow and be amazing,” he added.

Stewart’s reference was to the 1990s when Air Jamaica — at the time chaired by his father, tourism mogul Gordon “Butch” Stewart (now deceased) — in expansion mode, took over the Kingston to Bahamas route.

On Sunday, Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett also welcomed the Bahamasair service which will move passengers between both destinations on Thursdays and Sundays, saying it will enhance multi-destination tourism in the Caribbean.

“The fact that this flight inaugurated today in Jamaica signals a very important part of the link in that particular chain which will enable regional connectivity and the realisation of multi-destination tourism,” Bartlett said.

Bahamas’ Minister of Immigration and National Insurance Alfred Sears — representing his country’s Deputy Prime Minister Isaac Chester Cooper, who is also minister of tourism, investment and aviation — said the inaugural flight is of great magnitude, even as The Bahamas recorded a historic 9.7 million visitor arrivals last year and is expected to top that this year.

He also said the new service has “special significance for our Caribbean Community and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)”, as the airline continues to break barriers with new connectivity in the UK, the US, Canada, and other source markets.

He said the flight represents an emerging chapter in Caribbean connectivity discussions advanced by The Bahamas’s Prime Minister Phillip Edward Davis during his chairmanship of Caricom, and supported by the deputy prime minister with responsibility for tourism in his many interventions at CTO.

“The flight will undoubtedly bring us closer to these realities and have immense benefit for both of our countries,” he added.

Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association President Robin Russell also hailed the potential boost to multi-destination tourism that the flights between the two destinations now provide.

“With Bahamasair demonstrating that commitment, we know that this will make it happen. Now persons can come to Jamaica, they can go to The Bahamas, they can go to Dom Rep, they can go to St Lucia, because of the increased connectivity. So, we welcome it,” Russell said.

“We know that this is the next phase in tourism, where persons will no longer just go to one island but experience different cultures — and that’s what this is all about,” he added.

Shane Munroe, chief executive officer of MBJ Airports Limited, operators of Sangster International Airport, expressed pride in the relationship being built with Bahamasair which, he said, “aligns with our goals to increase regional air connectivity that is crucial for the continued growth of travel and tourism within the Caribbean”.

“Today marks a historic moment as we launch this service between Nassau and Montego Bay. For too long connectivity between these two cities has been too complicated. Today we changed that with this non-stop flight between these two cities twice weekly, serving our tourism sector but also connecting families and friends,” Munroe said.

Pratt described the establishment of the Nassau to Montego Bay route as a significant milestone.

“We embrace the new relationships established with our family now here in Jamaica, and salute our counterparts dedicated to the development of air transport and tourism throughout the world,” she said.

Shane Munroe (right), chief executive officer of MBJ Airports Limited, operators of Sangster International Airport, presents a welcome plaque to The Bahamas’s Minister of of Immigration and National Insurance Alfred Sears at Sangster International Airport on Sunday. The occasion was the inauguration of twice-weekly service between Nassau and Montego Bay by Bahamasair.