Audio By Carbonatix
Virgin Atlantic has increased the number of flights from Accra to London to four flights a week (from three) ahead of the Christmas season and looks forward to daily flights in 2011.
This is part of strategies to boost Virgin Atlantic's operations in the country.
Jon Harding, General Manager, International and Distribution disclosed this in an interview with Myjoyonline.com at a media briefing in Accra Thursday.
The airline, devoted to long route destinations, entered the Ghanaian market in May this year with three services a week from Accra to London.
“We are open to four services for the Christmas period,” he said, adding “we are first in the market now which is pretty much as low as they have ever been, just to incentivize people to travel within this period.”
On how the new tax regime for the aviation industry announced by the Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffuor in the 2011 budget statement could affect operations of Virgin Atlantic, the General Manager said the government must ensure critical balance in its bid to raise revenue and to encourage tourism via air transport.
“Governments have to raise revenue; Governments look to introduce taxes to raise revenue particularly in this financially constrained times… because the airline is seen as an opportunity to raise money. However as an industry we also argue and believe passionately that tourism and air transport brings massive economic benefits.
“…When you are raising revenue you need to balance those strategies and we respect the need to raise revenue but there is the need to ensure balance and everything,” he said.
The media briefing was also attended by Nick Taylor, Regional Country Manager- West Africa (Africa Representative) and Tosan Woode, Head of Sales and Marketing, Ghana.
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