Three years since its launch, a landmark initiative for perking up Mauritius’ status as a transit hub between Asia and Africa is showing good signs with a stronger tourism thrust coming from Mauritian inbound stakeholders, keen to tap into Asia’s outbound markets.
The government of Mauritius and Singapore’s Changi Airport Group (CAG) held hands together to launch the Air Corridor project in 2015, and Air Mauritius inaugurated direct flights from Singapore in 2016.
The initiative would develop air traffic in four key areas: Mauritius-Singapore; other Asian markets to Mauritius via Singapore; Africa/Indian Ocean to Singapore via Mauritius and two-centre holiday traffic from Asia to Africa/Indian Ocean destinations. The three base weekly frequencies on Air Mauritius’ Singapore-Mauritius route will be increased to four in July and August, and from mid-October this year to end January 2019.
Mauritius saw a 13.7 per cent year-on-year increase in arrivals from Singapore in 2017, compared to 2016. However, arrivals from Asia grew marginally at 1.5 per cent in 2017.
For greater utilization of the Air Corridor, Mauritius is intensifying tourism promotions in Asia as it celebrates its 50th year of independence this year.
