SAO PAOLO, WILLEMSTAD - As part of the inaugural flight of Azul Airlines on Saturday, June 24, 2023, Minister Cijntje is in Brazil for a working visit together with the Curaçao Tourism Office and Curaçao Airport Partners. The visit is in line with the inaugural flight and developments at the airport. The visit began on the first day with a visit to Azul Airlines' main office in São Paulo. Minister Cijntje met with the President of Azul Airlines, John Rodgerson. Mr. Rodgerson expressed his satisfaction with the new route that the airline he presides over is launching. Mr. Rodgerson is familiar with Curaçao and the potential it has to become one of Azul Airlines' prominent destinations outside of Brazil. "Curaçao is a great destination," John Rodgerson emphasized. Curaçao is the first destination in the Caribbean for Azul Airlines. Mr. Rodgerson went on to explain that 22 years ago, he spent his honeymoon in Curaçao and recalls the sweetness and relaxation he experienced. He went snorkeling and enjoyed the beauty of the island, creating memorable memories from his trip. Additionally, he mentioned that Brazilians are tremendous tourists who contribute significantly to the market. Brazilians enjoy shopping and spend a lot of money. He indicated that investment in destination promotion is necessary. Minister Cijntje affirmed that this will certainly be the case, and the Tourism Office will ensure communication and promotion in market segments where we know we can reach Brazilians effectively. 

Minister Cijntje made a visit to the main office of Azul, which has over 1,000 employees, and its operations center is one of the most modern and advanced. The Azul team is excited about the flight, and seeing that their first flight to the Caribbean is successful, they want it to continue. "We already see that through the promotion before the start of the flight, there are already full flights, and if we continue like this, we can add a second flight in no time," said Vitor Silva, Director General of Network & Strategic Planning. "If we keep it up like this in two years, we can have daily flights." There is a lot of potential for Azul through this new route, and they can see how more destinations can be added in the future. 

In the evening, there was a press meeting in São Paulo to continue promoting and positioning the inaugural flight. When CTB representative in Brazil, Janaina de Aroujo, contacted Vitor Silva from Azul to propose the possibility of a direct flight, both teams started working, and 9 months later, the flight became a reality. CTB and Curaçao Airport Partners worked together with Azul to achieve this flight. Jonny Andersen, CEO of CAP, originally from Norway, confirmed to everyone present that Curaçao is a worthwhile destination to visit. He feels privileged to live in Curaçao, where people come for vacation! Minister Cijntje shared interesting and beautiful aspects of Curaçao with the attendees, expressing gratitude to Azul for believing in Curaçao and challenging them to have daily flights within a year! 

First destination of Azul in the Caribbean This flight to Curaçao is the first time that Azul is flying to a destination in the Caribbean. "This fills us with great pride," indicated Minister Cijntje. The flight also brings competition, as other airlines like Avianca and Copa Airlines have increased their promotions and offer more competitive prices to attract potential tourists. Hugo Clarinda from CTB mentioned that tourism from Brazil has already increased by 100% in the first 5 months of 2023, and with this Azul flight, we can expect an influx of visitors from Brazil. Minister Cijntje highlights that opportunities are opening up for our entrepreneurs in the shopping sector, particularly for international brands' products that are expensive in Brazil, diving, and the culinary aspect, which has an interesting market to cater to. He calls on them to organize themselves and offer the Brazilian tourists a unique experience. Curaçao is growing and expanding its room capacity, which puts it in a favorable position. Furthermore, the historical connection with Brazil and our shared language make Brazilian travelers feel at home, and we can rely on their attention and commitment as travelers and as an airline. 

On the inaugural flight, alongside the Curaçao delegation led by Minister Cijntje, there will also be representatives from the Government of Minas Gerais, directors of Azul, as well as investment and trade entities from Minas Gerais, the state where Belo Horizonte is the capital. Additionally, there will be 17 journalists who will cover the destination with their reports. The flight is scheduled to arrive at 6:00 PM on Saturday afternoon and will be greeted by the crew who recently received the prestigious Excellence Award, which Azul awards each year to its best pilots and cabin crew members. The aircraft used on the Azul route is a modern Airbus 320 with onboard Wi-Fi, live TV, and a wide selection of movies to entertain passengers. Azul flights will arrive at 6:00 PM on Saturdays and depart back to Belo Horizonte on Sundays at 9:00 AM. The crew will stay at a hotel in the city center where they can relax and enjoy some of what our Willemstad has to offer. Brazilian travelers usually stay for about a week! Our hotels in Curaçao have collaborated well with the promotion by offering special rates, creating attractive packages, and conducting extensive promotions alongside Azul. This is a golden opportunity for Belo Horizonte to become the "Medellín of Brazil," as Peggy Croes from Curaçao Airport Partners shared. CAP wants to ensure that the flights return with Curaçao nationals or other tourists visiting Belo Horizonte and maximize the potential of Azul's flights. We will promote Belo Horizonte in Curaçao as the next "hot" destination. With more passengers, we can expand with additional flights, so we need sufficient investment in marketing and ensure that our destination can create a unique experience," illustrated Minister Cijntje. 

Spinoff for Curaçao This Azul Airlines flight creates many opportunities, not only in tourism but also in commerce, investment, and even opportunities to cooperate with established airlines in Curaçao to play a role in transportation to other destinations in the Caribbean. Furthermore, the possibilities for connecting Curaçao with cruise ships and utilizing planes for cargo transportation are part of the potential spinoff for Curaçao.