Willemstad -- With an investment of US $44 million, Curacao Airport Partners, CAP, built and inaugurated a most modern gateway to the world Saturday night.
It is a smart building
Big ass fans cool the friendly open air structure – don’t be offended, that’s the brand name of the oversize 24-feet ventilators, and the shutters close automatically switching to air-conditioning when the heat becomes unbearable.
The new passenger terminal is tastefully-colorful, designed to convey the Curacao Experience to passengers and employees. It was built to warmly welcome arriving visitors and to imprint a lasting, unique impressions on those departing. Heralded as the “Best Airport in the Caribbean,” it is capable of handling up to 1.6 million passengers a year.
In its second and third phase says CEO Wally Abernathy, the new terminal may grow to accommodate up to 2.5 million passengers a year, the infrastructure is already laid, he informed, and all preparations for future growth finalized.
That means that the Curacao new airport can welcome tremendous air traffic development and meet passenger convenience standards well into the future, he concluded.
Abernathy was addressing a black-tie crowd in the new terminal’s arrival hall, Saturday night. The formal party marked the dawn of a new era in tourism for the island of Curacao.
Abernathy also informed that the construction project of the new airport was three years in the making and attests to the vision of the Government of Curacao which signed a strategic alliance with CAP in order to develop the airport and the land around it.
CAP now has a 30-year concession contract with the government and it is confident that the airport will thrive and deliver great economic benefits to islanders, the government and CAP’s shareholders.
Overall, Abernathy stated that the creation of the new terminal will help realize Curacao’s potential for tourist and economic development.
As a matter of fact, Curacao follows in the footsteps of Aruba which inaugurated its modern Reina Beatrix airport a number of years ago and St Maarten which is gearing towards the opening of its new facility in September.
The new airport facility
The new facility in Hato, Curacao, boasts greater passenger processing areas, an expanded check-in hall, more office space in the adjacent old airport, security queuing areas, 4 passenger x-ray units, more seating, more retail, more food & beverage concessions and a larger VIP lounge. Passengers will depart from loading bridges into aircrafts, in 12 parking positions, and get their luggage off a longer baggage belt. The airport enjoys an elegant, fully landscaped arrival driveway, as well as convenient parking.
Economic Renaissance
The opening of the airport coincides with an economic Renaissance on the island of Curacao, jump-started by the ongoing construction of a number of high-rise resorts, among them the Hyatt & the Renaissance, as well as many other additional rooms. Existing properties are renovating and upgrading their facilities. The volume of tourists on the island is expected to rise with the capacity to handle more passengers and the presence of more accommodation options.
CAP Curacao Airport Builders
CAP is a partnership between Janssen de Jong Caribbean & Trim Invest, under the leadership of Management Curacao Airport Partners, Etienne v/d Horst.
The Gala Party
The party Saturday night featured charming traditional dance and music groups as well as a live performance of operatic soprano Tanya Cross. Also ongoing performances by musician Michael Anthony and piano-man Juny Julliet.
Speeches on the inaugural occasions of the new facility were given by R. Eleonora, the Governor of Curacao, A. Pluim Vrede, the Governor General, and CAP CEO Wally Abernathy. A whopping amount of Afls 75.000 was collected from corporate event sponsors and was presented as a donation to Soeur Hedwig School for handicapped students. The party was expertly organized by the airport commercial manager Bettina Daal who conceived an international buffet of favorite foods from around the globe from Spanish seafood Paella to Japanese hand rolled Sushi and grilled Argentinean Churrasco.
Colombian Emeralds International offered a raffle, from their new store in the departure hall, a brand new Tissot watch, which was won by a lucky party-goers.
Dignitaries and Guests
A great number of dignitaries and guests graced the party with their presence including CAP shareholders and bankers from Europe.
Among guests from Aruba & Curacao Tiara Air owner, Alexandro Muyale, AAA Managing Director Peter Steinmetz, director of Sales Kura Hulanda Shirley Geerman, Director RBTT Curacao, Fons Simon, Banco Di Caribe Managing Director Ditto De Kort, Maduro & Curiel Bank’s Managing Director Ronald Gomes Casseres, and Lionel (Chicu) Capriles II, MCB’s President and CEO, Colombian Emeralds International’s general manager Jeanette Keith, comedian Vale Croes media members Annalisa Gesterkamp, Tina Escobedo, Rona Coster, Gracemary Maduro, Kevin van Ommeren, Aurora Habibe, & Jose da Silva importers Onno van Romondt & accountant Martin Van Romondt – owners of Sbarro Pizza and Cinnabon, in both Aruba & Curacao airports and many international press members which stayed at Kura Hulanda and enjoyed warm Curacao hospitality.
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| Bettina Daal hosts dignitaries
from Aruba & Curacao | Deloitte Curacao & Aruba, with the van Romondts owners of
Sbarro Pizza & Cinnabon and publisher Aurora Habibe |
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| Mr. & Mrs. Lio Capriles | CEI Jeanette Keith
with an international
journalist |
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| Banco di Caribe representatives | Tiara Air's Alexandro Muyale, CAP's Etienne v/d Horst &
AAA's Peter Steinmetz |
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| The Crew of Kura Hulanda Hotel & Spa with Shirley Geerman Director of Sales | Overview of party at the airport |
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| Ronald Gomes Casseres with the director of St Martin's airport | Mrs. A Pluim Vrede, Governor General and husband |
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| CAP CEO Wally Abernathy
makes a generous donation
to Soeur Hedwig School
for handicapped students |
