BARBADOS, AND OTHER COUNTRIES in Latin America and the Caribbean, need to work together to harness the power of aviation connectivity.
Doing so is necessary to drive economic growth and job creation in the region, said International Air Transport Association director general and chief executive officer Tony Tyler.
“Air transport in Latin America and the Caribbean supports more than 4.9 million jobs and US$153 billion in GDP. It could create even more value but airlines struggle with high taxes, onerous regulation and infrastructure deficiencies,” he said during a recent event in Chile.
“Strong partnerships across the value chain and with governments can unlock untapped value and drive economic growth by tackling these issues. And this is particularly important given the difficult economic situation in several of the region’s top economies.”
Tyler said the aviation industry had great things as a united force “in places where we work with governments as partners in pursuit of common goals”.
“Chile and Panama are creating value with an enlightened strategic approach to aviation. Spreading this more broadly across the region will help build a brighter future for the people of Latin America and the Caribbean with prosperity, jobs and opportunities,” he added.
The areas he said were “ripe for greater collaboration” included taxes, smarter regulation, cost-efficient infrastructure, and the environment.
He urged the region to reduce the tax burden which is undermining the region’s prospects for connectivity growth and the benefits it stimulates. (SC)
