Air connection between Guyana and the Dominican Republic has been significantly boosted with the commencement of direct flights between the two countries that not only open up a host of possibilities for tourism but also doing business.
SKYhigh Dominicana, a Santo Domingo-based airline, launched operations here on Sunday between the Dominican Republic’s Las Américas International Airport (SDQ) and Georgetown’s Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). It will offer three flights weekly – Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday – via a comfortable Embraer 190 with 97 seats – 9 business class and 88 economy class.
At a simple ceremony following the inaugural flight from Santo Domingo to Georgetown on Sunday at the CJIA, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the introduction of this new airline was reflective of Government’s commitment to expand connectivity to and from Guyana.
He noted that the airline was not only offering Guyanese more destination options but its flight itinerary offered the best deal for both business and pleasure.
“So, those who [Sunday] afternoon will be able to get up early [Monday] morning… and begin business, and they can get home back for the weekend, departing on Thursday. Or those who decided to come on Tuesday, could get business done and go back on Thursday. Or for the tourist ones who come to spend the weekend, getting here on Thursday is a good thing. You enjoy a good Friday, a nice Saturday and on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, you depart to get back to your work on Monday. So, the days provide great opportunities for business, for recreation and for other engagements that will only make things better,” the Minister stated.
According to Edghill, in approving SKYhigh Dominicana’s operations in Guyana, Government considered the possibilities that will come from that destination. He noted that Guyana was particularly keen on tapping into the millions of tourists who visit the Dominican Republic annually by twinning that’s country’s ‘sand and beach’ with Guyana’s eco-tourism product – its flora and fauna.
Similar sentiments were shared by Dominican Republic Ambassador to Guyana, Ernesto Torres Pereyra, who noted that the previous limited interactions between his country and Guyana are now bridged by the direct flights being offered by SKYhigh Dominicana.
“Right now, our countries have never been closer… The visitor connection will also enable the implementation of a tourism product that has been discussed at the very high level about integrating our magnificent beaches and cultural richness of the Dominican Republic with the pristine and unspoiled rainforests and the biodiversity of Guyana. Recently, the Dominican Republic reached a milestone of 10 million tourists [in 2023 alone] and we are sincerely hopefully that a lot of these tourists will use the opportunity of this route to discover Guyana,” Ambassador Pereyra added.
Meanwhile, SKYhigh Dominicana Commercial Manager Victor Nina noted that his company’s commencement of operations in Guyana was unprecedented as it directly linked Santo Domingo with Guyana. Nina further posited that the airline would not only connect Guyana to its 23 other destinations but also to a myriad of other airlines that converge in Santo Domingo.
Passengers on the inaugural direct flight from the Dominican Republic to Guyana being welcomed at the CJIA on Sunday afternoon
“Santo Domingo, as a natural hub that it is, is capable to improve Guyana’s possibilities to connect to not only to Santo Domingo but with a boomerang of destinations from the epicentre of the Caribbean, which is Santo Domingo… So, for us this is not only connecting Guyana to Santo Domingo which is very important to us as we will share, our culture, bonds and commercial business…but also connect with all the destinations and the rest of the world…. We are very excited about this new venture,” the SKYhigh official declared.
The introduction of this direct connection between Guyana and the Dominican Republic is a welcomed development in the business, aviation and, especially, tourism sectors. This is according to Permanent Secretary of the Tourism Ministry, Sharon Roopchand-Edwards, who added “The introduction of these services not only validates the strength of our tourism product but also offers greater connectivity for visitors and Guyanese. We will continue to advocate for airlines to add Guyana to their routes, particularly direct flight options.”
She further noted that with SKYhigh operations opening up Guyana to the region, especially the Latin and Central American destinations. Government is also preparing local stakeholders with conversational Spanish-speaking skills. These include immigration and customs officers as well as tour guides.
SKYhigh Aviation Services is a Dominican Republic-based airline offering scheduled passenger and cargo services across the Caribbean, Venezuela, and the United States.
The current route network includes flights to Miami, Caracas, Maracaibo, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Antigua, St Maarten, St Kitts, Anguilla, St Thomas, St Croix, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Santiago and Havana, Cuba, among other destinations.
With a focus on safety, reliability, and exceptional customer service, Sky High is committed to connecting people and cultures while contributing to the economic development of the regions it serves.
