The belief is that the Caribbean has already achieved maximum penetration of its traditional markets, so that future grwth will have to be from new markets. Russia has proven to be a success with thousands of tourists pouring into Cuba, DR, Jamaica, and even
SKB attracting some investment dollars for new villa resort projects.
With almost 200 million Brazil is seen as too big to ignore, and too close, once airlift is improved.
The intent is to begin to market BRAND Caribbean. Firstly developing an awareness among Brazilians about what the Caribbean has to offer.
SXM is very different from
CUR/
AUA, as you are aware. If you like
SXM, why not try
ANU? The French side of
SXM isnt that different from
SKB (at least in my opinion).
BGI is a classy destination, if there ever is one, though they need to train their customs and immigration people to stop thinking that God is a Bajan and that he must only like North Americans and Western Europeans.
SLU has an exotic blend of the French/Anglo Caribbean. Talking about a small island with its own unique culture, definitely GND. And so it goes.
But then Brazilians will need to become aware of this, just as you did. And before each Caribbean island attempts to promote itself an overall awareness of the diversity of the Caribbean will need to be developed. BRAND Caribbean.
I will also tell you a little secret. Most people in the Anglophone Caribbean prefer Brazilians to your Spanish speaking neighbors. I consider the parts of Brazil stretching from Pernambuco to Rio to be an extension of the Caribbean, with its creole culture arising from the merger of Euro/Afro/Indigenous roots. But you probably know this already. So is suspect that Brazilians who are open to the locals will be well treated in most islands.
BW is an alternate if GOL isnt interested, but it will have to be subsidized with route guarantees as the route will clearly be a loss maker in the beginning. It cannot rush in now and expect to succeeed.
Like I said
DL wanted to keep its monopoly on the
JFK GEO nonstop route. Every argument that they can raise against
BW (state subsidies, etc) does NOT apply to
FJ. So the fact that they are blocking
FJ suggests that their intention is to bring Guyana to its knees and force it to accept what ever terms
DL dictates. As I previously stated, rumors exist that
DL is still interested in this route, and most likely want to force Guyana into withdrawing flag carrier status from
BW and forcing it back to running all its
JFK bound flights via
POS. And also getting various fee waivers as well.
Put it this way.
DL knows full well that for a variety of reasons GEO is not an attractive destination for most US carriers. Aside from
JFK the market is too small, and as we can see with
BGI,
AA is pulling back out of its NYC Caribbean routes. So
DL has GEO by the throat and intends to squeeze it. If
BW used to fly
POS BGI JFK with no objections from any one,, why is
DL implying that not only do they intend to block GEO
JFK, but they wish that they can also block
POS GEO
JFK.
Clearly the GEO market needs competition on the
JFK GEO. Clearly
DL wishes to do every thing that it can to prevent this.
As to
BW setting up some subsidiary in GEO if they get Cat 1. I really dont think that this will be possible, unless Guyana obtains significant decision making input into their GEO operations, and I am not sure what they will demand is what
BW will be willing to offer. Many Guyanese will want to know why a Trini entity, which they claim has been cruel to Guyanese, both in its current form, and as BWIA, must be given preference over a Guyanese who might wish to establish a 100% Guyanese owned airline. And the problem for
BW is that they get blamed, not only for what they do, but for the entirety of what goes wrong at
POS. Arrogant airport officials and a terminal building which is hostile to intransits. And for haughty attitudes that more than a few Trinis display to Guyanese who visit/live on that island.
You will note that Guyana is agitating for
FJ to get
JFK GEO
JFK, with no mention of
BW getting those rights.
