Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Marsha Henderson has brokered a deal with American Airlines to increase airlift into the RLB International Airport that will benefit persons attending the St. Kitts’ 25^th Annual Music Festival, which takes place from the 22^nd  to the 24^th of June at the Warner Park Stadium.
 
While addressing the media at a press conference on April 13 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort, Minister Henderson stated that American Airlines has added additional non-stop flights from Miami between the 21^st of June and the 25^th of June for the St. Kitts Music Festival and that AA will also double its daily non-stop flights from Miami between the 15^th of August to the 5^th of September. She also said that InterCaribbean Airways now has direct flights to Barbados on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
 
The tourism minister said that she and her team have been working around to clock to build the tourism industry.
 
“Over the past few months, my team and I have worked assiduously to rebuild our tourism industry, which accounts for approximately 40 percent of our nation’s GDP,” Minister Henderson said.  “As we look towards the future, our strategy for increasing tourism’s impact is built on several pillars that include increasing stay-over arrivals through increased investment in our accommodations sector, diversifying the tourism product and building airlift capacity.”
 
Minister Henderson said that at the Routes Airline Conference during the week of 23^rd March, “we engaged several carriers to discuss the options for new and expanded routes with the aim of transforming St. Kitts into a year-round destination.”
 
During this month of April, the St. Kitts Tourism Authority will be celebrating 20 years of its existence.