Business View Caribbean | Jan 2019

51 PREFERRED VENDOR n Amadeus www.amadeus.com/airports Minnesota for Fire Vehicles, or wherever we need them to go. I’ve always accepted the costs of training, but I prefer not having to accept the costs of ignorance. Training I can budget for.” BVC: What would you say are the best attributes and accomplishments of the TCIAA? Smith: “It’s all about recovery, and that starts with our wonderful local staff; the turnaround from losing $3 million a year to generating revenues of $37 million; the focus on infrastructure development in the five aerodromes the Authority is responsible for; and working with Tourism partners, we were able to increase passenger numbers from 20,000 per month in 2007, to averaging 42,000 per month, at present. In 2007, there was a two or three month off-season trough period. Today, we don’t really have an off-season. “To indicate how the Authority works together, from an HR perspective, we still hold the record of four hours and seventeen minutes to get back in full operation at Providenciales International Airport following the passing of a category five storm.We boast about that, but quietly, because we all work as a family. Everyone knows what they have to do, and we get it done. I’m proud and happy about that, on behalf of the team, because we do operate as a team.”