The Tribune

SAN Salvador’s tourism industry is expected to get a major boost with the expansion and upgrade of the island’s international airport.

In addition to an expanded check-in counter, the state-of-the art facility will feature an expanded waiting area and a more user-friendly Immigration and Customs venue.

The airport received extensive damage when Hurricane Joaquin devastated the island in October.

Philip Davis, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development, inspecting the $1.5m construction work being carried out by Kirk Williams, of World Construction and Development Company, last week, said he was satisfied with the steady progress.

“We decided to do the expansion to accommodate the traffic that is expected through the direct flights from France and elsewhere,” he said. “I’m pleased to see the kind of workmanship by Mr Williams and his contractors.

“For many years, the airport was not accommodating to our guests. Very often about 300 persons were landing and lining up on the tarmac in the hot sun from a ten-hour flight from Europe. That was uncomfortable. Now, as you can see, the expansion will accommodate these passengers as they come into a comfortable venue to clear Customs and Immigration.”

Mr Williams said the work is 90 per cent complete and his team is “pulling out every stop” to make the airport a “world class” facility. He pointed to other amenities, including concession stands, CCTV and security measures of international standards.

Sixty to 70 construction workers are employed at the airport and 15 to 20 per cent of them are residents of San Salvador.