THE Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) says it has recorded the highest passenger movement through the country’s main port of entry in 2018.

Between January 1 and December 31, 2018, some 630,143 passengers were processed as compared to 592,053 in 2017. According to airport officials, this represents a seven per cent increase from the corresponding period last year. Additionally, for the first-time, arriving passengers represented a larger percentage of the total number.

In fact, international passenger arrivals for 2018 were 325,800 or nine per cent higher than in 2017. Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, attributed the marked increases to “government’s sound economic policies and its unwavering advocacy for an enabling environment for investors, including the introduction of a new airline.”

Other factors can be associated with increased business interest in oil and gas, agriculture, and tourists arriving in large numbers for the Easter Festivities, Bartica Regatta, Rupununi Rodeo, Christmas and investment forums, Minister Patterson said. According to CJIA, Six airlines currently operate at the airport plying several destinations. The most dominant destination is New York City with a 34 per cent market share in 2018. “Destinations Canada and Aruba recorded 15 and 14 per cent respectively. Miami followed closely with 12 per cent,” the release added.