And the staff and management of the BTB weren't only celebrating the inauguration of a permanent workplace, they're also making major plans to get new carriers into Belize's expanded airport. Tourism Minister Godfrey Smith spoke about major plans attract major international air carriers into the country.
Godfrey Smith,
"I think some good things are in store for the country in 2008 as it relates to tourism. We have in our company right now Mr. Martin Copeland of Intavista which is a Canadian firm and the BTB along with the Belize Airport Concession Company had gotten together to retain a professional firm who were recommended to us by the OAS who has experience in targeting airlines in an attempt to increase airlifts to Belize. And so we are hoping that within this year we will get some good news as to how quickly Belize is moving up the priority board, as it is referred to, in terms of increasing airlifts. Every where I go people say we have a brand new extension runway and so when are we going to see new jets coming in and I like to be in the position of hoping in a year or so we will be in that position."
