As tourism continues to thrive in Belize, the local aviation industry has been prompted to keep up with the increasing flow of visitors by providing not only the best service in air transportation to the island, but also spacious and comfortable terminals. Thus, Maya Island Air invested in a second terminal at the John Greif II Municipal Airport, and it was inaugurated on Wednesday, November 14th, with an interactive open house for invited guests to take a first a look at the new two-story terminal facilities.
The new terminal will be officially open for business as of Thursday, November 15th, accommodating even more customers in an elegant ambience with panoramic views of the tarmac and parts of downtown San Pedro. The new facility offers a spacious waiting lounge featuring mahogany and granite finishing, stunning Carolyn Carr reproductions and crystal chandeliers. 
According to management, the edifice was built by Belizean labour, with the best local design ideas taking into consideration the tastes of every commuter from Belize and abroad. The second floor of the terminal counts with a bar and restaurant, where passengers can relax and have something to eat or drink while they wait for their flight.
According to Marian Hernandez, Marketing Manager for Maya Island Air, the opening of a second terminal on the island comes with the demands of the increasing influx of visitors to Belize and San Pedro. “Ambergris Caye is the number one tourism destination in the country, and the number of arrivals continues to grow every year. Because of this we have decided to expand our facilities,” said Hernandez. “We have over 300,000 passengers annually, and to accommodate these numbers of Belizean and international customers, we built this second terminal.” Hernandez pointed out that some of the details around the terminal represent the local culture that identifies Ambergris Caye. There are portraits of the Maya and Mestizo culture on the walls of the terminal. She added that they want their customers to experience a welcoming and relaxed ambience with an upscale flair.
Mayor Daniel Guerrero was present to witness the opening of the new terminal and stated that the tourism and aviation industry work together. “When you see the country’s airlines (Tropic Air and Maya Island Air) making significant investments in their terminals, it proves that the tourism industry continues to grow and that we will see a lot more visitors flying to the island,” said Guerrero. “This is a good sign for San Pedro and for the entire country, that tourism is indeed increasing,” Guerrero said that his administration will continue hand in hand with the private sector in order to make the tourism product more attractive to the visitors. He also indicated that this will mean more job opportunities for the many residents on the island.
Maya Island Air currently flies to nine destinations around Belize and offers charters to the Great Blue Hole, other parts of the country, Guatemala and Honduras. Its main offices are located in Belize City, with its main base at the Philip S.W Goldson International Airport in Ladyville. The local airline started operations in 1962, but it was until 1989 that it began providing services to Ambergris Caye.
