High hopes for visitor boost from CAL’s LAX route
(CNS): Both government and the private sector are pinning their hopes on the new Cayman Airways direct flight to Los Angeles to drive an increase in visitor numbers and a boost for tourism businesses as the sector moves into its first post-pandemic high season with fully open borders. Cayman neeeds to significantly increase arrivals after the massive impact of COVID-19 and this new five-and-a-half-hour nonstop service is expected to bring in more guests from the West Coast, filling the gaps in the current airlift from other carriers.
The inaugural nonstop service took off for Hollywood on Saturday, 5 November, following an Oscar-themed celebration at the departure gate of Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA).
The first direct service to LA from the Caribbean, the latest addition to Cayman Airways’ network, highlights the significant role that the airline plays in growing and sustaining the Cayman Islands tourism industry, officials said.
“Opening an air bridge to new markets such as this one will drive inbound visitation and grow tourism opportunities for our country because our national airline is making it easier for travelers to get to our islands,” said Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan.
“Over the longer term, however, the route’s success will depend on the continued collaboration between the Ministry and Department of Tourism and our partners in the tourism industry, including the CI Film Commission, the financial services sector, and a host of other essential industry sectors working collaboratively together to leverage business and leisure opportunities,” he added.
The LAX service also brings Cayman closer to Hollywood, one of the largest film hubs in the world, making it easier for LA-based production companies to capitalise on the Cayman Islands as a premier location for film, television, music videos, photo-shoots and advertising productions. In 2019 LAX airport handled 88,068,013 passengers, making it the world’s third busiest and the United States’ second busiest airport.
“The launch of this new route has long been a dream for the Cayman Islands and for Cayman Airways,” said the airline’s president and CEO, Fabian Whorms. “The LAX route has been realised thanks to our new Boeing 737-8 fleet, one of the most fuel efficient aircraft ever. Initially, the flight will operate once per week, but based on initial bookings, we are certain that demand will quickly result in increased frequency in the near future.”
A significant delegation from Cayman took the flight to the historic first flight from Grand Cayman to LAX, including politicians, representatives from the Cayman Islands’ major hotels and accommodations sector, the Chamber of Commerce, the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, Cayman Airways, the airport and civil aviation authorities, the Ministry of Border Control and the DoT.
While in Hollywood, the DoT held a ‘Cayman Reception’, showcasing local musicians, carnival models and dancers to promote the new route and enable networking between the various industry stakeholders.
Well known Caymanians in attendance included filmmaker and CI Film Commission Chairman Frankie Flowers, model and actress Selita Ebanks, and Film & TV Producer Sean Rankine. During his official remarks at the event, Bryan highlighted the work being done to promote Cayman as a film location. He also said that Cayman Airways was offering special rates for location scouts, production crews, equipment and VIP greeters for talent originating from California.
The minister later announced a planned introduction of a Production Incentive Rebate Programme. This initiative would begin in 2023 with the aim of continuing to strengthen the US film industry’s relationship with the Cayman Islands.
To date, the Los Angeles route is Cayman Airways‘ longest commercial flight, pushing the Denver route into second place. The new nonstop West Coast service will operate year round, once per week in the first instance, departing Grand Cayman on Saturdays and returning from Los Angeles on Sundays.
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I’m not so sure. I love my country, and that’s why I’m worried for it. Crime is at an all time high, the dump is still the dump, SMB is disappearing, concrete has taken over almost every inch of the island, and the place is insanely expensive. I’m sure west coasters would prefer a trip to Hawaii than here.
And the police are invisible as Jamaicans rob and drive like maniacs all day every day. Do something about it
One and done.
Sounds like the first flight was full as nearly all the passengers were on freebies. What we never hear on these new destinations are the load factors, how many have flown the Denver route and now the Boston destination?.A lot of hoopla but no hard facts,to be expected I suppose when CAL has no concern about profits as every year it has Government’s deep pockets to dig into.
Curious. Why can’t Cayman Airways do a code share agreement with one or more of the major US airlines. That way people could do 1 ticket to Cayman on their favourite carrier jumping onto KX flight at hub airports like Miami, Houston, Charlotte, Denver, Dallas, Tampa, Toronto etc.
Surely this would increase passenger loads and reduce hassle of trying to do flights all over the US and way out to the west coast. Or is it not economically feasible?
Those pics are truly embarassing.
😅🤣😂
KB and CS with those hats. I’ve seen it all now.
Not going to happen, this place is already turning into Compton. Pretty sure they want to get away from that.
Look at the headlines and ask why would anyone come. 9 armed robberies in two weeks. Free for all on public beach w/ vendors harassing, etc. etc. This does not say luxury destination. In fact, it says quite the opposite.
I’ve been trying to understand Kenny’s insatiable infatuation with Hollywood, – It’s taken a little while but last night I found it. I believe it’s the manifestation of PACT, it’s members and the significant relation to film categories, take a look, – and ‘Man hunt’ maybe,
First there’s,
Horror, – well yeah, since their inception, especially with regards to the environment
Action, – the do nothing PACT ?
Comedy, – lamp posts, donkeys, & cow cods etc
Sci fiction, – these people for the most part aren’t thinking about next week let alone 25 years or more from now
Drama, – Wayne director, Mac best actor
Romance, – as it relates to power & greed
Western, – kind of what our community is becoming under PACT
Thriller, – more of a ‘surely not’ thriller
Adventure, – always
Musical, ‘The Wetlands are alive with the sound of heavy equipment’
Fantasy, – Governor Roper
Crime, – needs an addendum, Crime & Corruption
Documentary, – they’d never believe it
Romantic Comedy, – need to edit this one, ‘Sex Pest & Assault
Mystery, – yes, it absolutely is
War, – yep, within their own party
Animation, – Governor Roper
Film noir, – I’m sure it’s unintentional, but more than a resulting theme here
Dark comedy, – yep, power poles at 11:00 pm again
Spy, – I hope someone is watching
Experimental – um, yeah
Historical, – it will definitely be remembered
Disaster, – nothing but
Biographical, – there’s probably nothing more that Kenny wants than a short film about himself
Lower crime!
If Cayman needs to significantly increase tourism numbers, lower airfare prices and significantly lower hotel prices. Lower hotel prices back to what they were to before the other Caribbean islands had their hurricanes ((2018?) and Cayman raised prices to try to fleece those who were stuck without those destinations to travel too.
The only thing missing was the prison stripes….man what a crew!
“Cayman” doesn’t raise prices, individual hotels raise prices based on demand. Raising the price of a room that stays empty is a bad business decision. The hotels are running at capacity and the prices reflect that demand. Same goes for airfare, except for the fact that KX puts in a floor where airlines are not allowed to underprice them on the same routes.
New nonstop flight from Boston been running two weeks now. Been over 2 hours late both weeks. Why offer a nonstop when it doesn’t even come close to running on time?
That’s hardly CIG’s or CAL’s fault though as the route is operated by Jet Blue. Nothing to do with this article
It has everything to do with article. I have travel CAL on a few different routes. I have never been on a onetime flight yet. They are continually running late. If you can’t get the routes you’re already running to fly on time why start another. To be honest this is probably one of the worst run airlines i have seen with probably 2 times more employees then any other airline.
Flew MIA to GCM recently to use up a credit I got when CAL was all you could fly during covid. It was worse than during covid even though flight only 2/3 full. Long wait in short line, weird Miami baggage agents, $20 for first bag (SW is half the fare and two free bags), dingiest part of dingiest terminal at MIA (literally no windows in gate area), non-fluent gate agents, no food or shops nearby, late departure, chaos and shouting officials in immigration lines on arrival. We swore never again, even AA is better. I hate to think what it will be like at LAX. You could run several flights a day out of MIA for the same LAX flight time and have a full time ticket counter and gate in a better spot.
It matters because if you can’t get there, it’s useless to even book a trip there. Been to Cayman 3x since covid. 2 had major delays and one cancelled the night before leaving and delayed my trip by 3 days. Cayman is the hardest place to fly to since covid.
‘He also said that Cayman Airways was offering special rates for location scouts, production crews, equipment and VIP greeters for talent originating from California.’
I don’t understand, a few months ago Kenneth was saying the below. Have we gone from it’s going to be difficult to get a ticket because of expected demand to special rates already before the inaugural wheels are off the ground ? 🛫🎟🤯
Bryan said the new route will be a game-changer for this destination as it will open up the western United States, making it easier for travellers from Los Angeles as well as San Francisco, Seattle and beyond.
“This new route will also enhance air connectivity for travellers originating from Asia and Australia, opening up our destination to even more markets that are currently unserved.
Connecting with CAL is a nice idea in theory but you have to collect your checked bags, haul them a mile to wherever the CAL ticket counter is located, wait for it to open, recheck your bags and pay for them again, and hike to the crappiest part of the airport where CAL gates are always located. And the layover is invariably in excess of 5 hours. No one on the west coast is going to do a connection like this more than once. It’s just too much trouble. All of those folks can fly via Texas or Florida or Atlanta on one airline much easier and quicker and cheaper.
CAL never has good connection times.
If all you hit is delays flying to a destination, most likely won’t keep flying there, especially when you pay more to book a nonstop.
unless its changed, with the CAL 7:00am departure anyone connecting from say Seattle (or elsewhere) is going to have to stay in LAX overnight. My own personal thought is not many are going to do it even once
looked like quite a party on our dime. maybe some of those funds would have been better spent on your citizens who are having a tough time eating, paying rent and paying for gas.
That’s why they want to be ministers. Their pay , benefits and opportunities for living high off expenses gives them a lifestyle they could only dream of .
7:42 give me your coordinates I’ll get you a comp ticket no problem, then I’m sure like mss as my others you will sing a different tune . Jealousy is a sickness of this people!!
‘won’t someone please think of the children!’….zzzzzzzzzzzz
AGREED! The optics are horrible, has no one any sense in government???