Nevis spreads her wings

It was recently reported that the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) had forged a partnership with Caribbean Helicopters Ltd (CHL). The company is a flight service based in Antigua, and the partnership will bring added airlift to the Vance W. Amory International Airport in Nevis.

Although the international airport is compact, it is armed with all the latest and modern technologies and amenities, which include a brand-new terminal, new control tower, and an extended runway. The agreement, signed on behalf of the administration by permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Colin Dore and director of CHL, Neil Dickinson was a significant stepping-stone in Nevis's grand plan of opening itself up to the world. Dore commented in saying that.

"The island had struggled with the issue of airlift in and out of Nevis via Antigua for far too long. This new partnership will set Nevis on a path that will provide a level of convenience not only for Nevisians, but also for

visitors to and from the island."

There seems to be no short supply of ambition as demonstrated by the accord and this will be a trend that will continue. Dickinson shared, "Our two fixed wing airplanes are going to start to do the airlift between Antigua and Nevis very shortly. The plan is that we increase that fleet by a further two aircrafts in the next six months." With the most recent announcement of the partnership between St Bart's based Tradewind Aviation and Nevis, the NIA and Nevis Tourism Authority (NTA) are letting out all the stops in their continued efforts of bringing Nevis closer to the world stage.

The Tradewind Aviation service operates on Wednesdays between the islands of St Barts and Nevis, with departures in the mornings and afternoons to facilitate a day-trip in both directions. The Honorable Mark Brantley, Nevis' Minister of Tourism stated, "We hope to make Nevis' grandeur readily available to the whole world and these are a few steps in the right direction to making that possible."

These air services opens a flurry of new and exciting possibilities for travelers to either island. Day trips from St Barts and from Antigua to Nevis will now be available to Nevisians and visitors alike. Whether you're visiting St Barts and taking in the Caribbean through its French culture or enjoying the same water through British lenses in Nevis, you're a mere 15-minute flight to experiencing a completely different culture while basking in the same radiant waters. Antigua, on the other hand, is a similar English-influenced island with its origins being of Amerindian (Carib and Arawak) and West African and with a range of attractions unique to Antigua.

aggressive campaign

The rich cultural potential of both Nevis and Antigua are now within a brief 15-minute airlift away for travellers. With expectations high and Nevis on a very aggressive and effective campaign, the vision of bringing Nevis to the traveler seeking an authentic Caribbean experience is becoming a reality sooner than later. Bookings from and to Antigua/Nevis can be made via the CHL website www.caribbeanhelicopters.com.

Pricing to and from Nevis/St Barts is US$150 plus tax each way. Booking is available with local travel agencies or through Tradewind at:1-800-376-7922, 1-203-267-3305, or by email at charter@flytradewind.com

About Nevis

Nevis is part of the Federation of St Kitts & Nevis and is located in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. Conical in shape with a volcanic peak at its center known as Nevis Peak, the island is the birthplace of the founding father of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. The weather is typical of most of the year with temperatures in the low to mid-80s?F / mid 20-30? C, cool breezes and low chances of precipitation. Air transportation is easily available with connections from Puerto Rico, and St Kitts.

For more information about Nevis, travel packages and accommodations, please contact the Nevis Tourism Authority from the USA at Tel 1-407-287-5204, Canada 1-403-770-6697, or visit the website www.nevisisland.com and like Nevis Naturally on Facebook.