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The government of Mauritius has been challenged by Iata to continue focusing on aviation as a strategic enabler of the country’s economic and social development.
DG and CEO of Iata, Alexandre de Juniac, said: “The leaders of Mauritius have always understood that air connectivity is vital. The key elements of any aviation strategy are safety, global standards, competitiveness and cooperation. But Mauritius and other small island states have a critical competitive advantage in implementing an aviation strategy, and that is size. The country is small enough to rally the aviation universe – the airlines, the airport, the tourism infrastructure – to agree a strategy and to get it implemented quickly and nimbly.”
Mauritius ranks highly across many categories in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report: fourth for prioritisation of travel and tourism in government policy, but only 116th on price competitiveness largely driven by ticket taxes, airport charges and fuel costs. “These are big pain points for airlines. Policies to improve competitiveness in these areas would boost aviation’s ability to deliver its economic benefits,” said De Juniac.
Iata urged discussions with the airlines as Mauritius embarks on a project to more than double the capacity of Sir Seewoosugur Ramgoolam Airport to nine million passengers annually. “There must be an open dialogue with the airlines to ensure that development provides sufficient capacity, technical excellence aligned to airline needs and affordable costs,” said De Juniac.
“Mauritius has impressive connectivity. But there are many markets that have still to discover Mauritian hospitality. And no single airline can provide the connectivity that is needed. Partnerships with other airlines are enhancing the nation’s connectivity,” said de Juniac. “Mauritius is well-placed to grow its footprint in Africa. It is accessible – only requiring visas from six African countries. Cooperation with South African Airways and Kenya Airways opened two gateways into the African continent. And the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) creates the potential for even broader connectivity. For sure Africa’s development will demand increased air connectivity with Asia’s important markets. Could Mauritius evolve as a one-stop hub, efficiently connecting Southern African markets to points in Asia-Pacific?”
Source: tourismupdate.co.za
