Bonaire welcomed the first non-stop WestJet flight to the island on Tuesday, December 12th, 2023. The first flight received a warm welcome from the Bonaire delegates and Miss Tourism Bonaire at the platform, followed by all arriving visitors receiving a gift and were greeted with local music by ka’i òrgel and dancers in folkloric outfits.
"We looked forward with great excitement to the arrival of our guests from Canada, and the much-anticipated day is finally here with the first WestJet flight landing on Bonaire," expressed Miles Mercera, CEO of Tourism Corporation Bonaire (TCB). "Canada remains one of our top 10 markets, and this historic new connection signifies a major step in accommodating the increasing desire for tourism on our picturesque island."
“Bonaire has long been looking forward to this direct weekly connection from Toronto by WestJet, and I am convinced that this route will be a great success. The first flight was very well booked, and bookings for the entire season look good. The route was created after intensive and good collaboration with the various parties on our island. WestJet offers a very nice product and now allows travelers to fly every Tuesday with a direct non stop flight from Toronto to beautiful Bonaire. Especially in the winter months, I can imagine that visitors from Canada like to soak up the sun and enjoy all the beauty of Bonaire. Bon bini WestJet!”, said Maarten van der Scheer CEO of Bonaire International Airport (BIA).
Tourism Corporation Bonaire organized a ceremony titled #ItsInOurNature for the Bonaire team and the WestJet flight crew, welcoming the flight to the island.
The non-stop route will operate once weekly, every Tuesday, and depart on Wednesday morning, with service running through April 24th, 2024.
A delegation from Bonaire, including Miles Mercera, CEO of TCB, Maarten van der Scheer, CEO of BIA, Veroesjka de Windt, CEO of Bonaire Hotel and Tourism Association (BONHATA), and Kia-San Silberie from Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire (OLB), journeyed to Toronto for a meeting with the WestJet team on Monday, December 11th.
Organized by TCB and its PR firm, Diamond PR, a media dinner event unfolded on Monday night. The cozy dinner featured festive pink Christmas decor inspired by Bonaire, bringing a touch of the island's warmth and vibrancy to Toronto. Attendees included freelancers, travel editors, content creators, and press, providing them with insights into the island and the newly launched non-stop flight to Bonaire.
On Tuesday morning, the Bonaire delegates, alongside representatives from WestJet and the Toronto Airport, delivered a speech to boarding passengers, extending a warm welcome to the inaugural flight. The ceremony concluded with a ribbon-cutting, and all passengers received a special Bonaire gift.
