Travel and Transportation

The Martelly government inaugurated the Association of Tourist Taxi Drivers Support Program in December. The program will improve taxi service at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport.

$2 million provided by Haiti's Central Bank and National Bank of Credit will allow purchase of 100 taxis. Drivers belonging to the Drivers Guide Association of Haiti and the Independent Drivers for Development Association will now have the capacity to meet the demands of Haiti's tourism industry with new vehicles and training.

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Haiti skies have opened up JetBlue, which launched its first official flight to the Caribbean country in early December. The plan is for the carrier, based out of New York City, to operate three flights to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, daily. One flight will come out of the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York and two will depart from Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale. As part of their major expansion project in the Caribbean, JetBlue has made Haiti their 82nd destination.

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A new air medical service has been introduced for the nation of Haiti.

Haiti Air Ambulance (HAA), a not-for-profit foundation is introducing Haiti's first permanent helicopter EMS program. this is in association with the University of Miami's Project Medishare, Hospital Bernard Mevs, and a network of other local hospitals.

The goal is to provide life-saving emergency services to all Haitians regardless of income. Services are expected to begin in early 2014. they will be flying fully equipped Bell 407's on life-saving missions throughout the country of Haiti.
It is expected to compensate for Haiti poor roads condition where people will have helicopters that will fly them into Port-au-Prince where there is proper care.

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United States citizens wishing to travel to the Caribbean country of Haiti have been warned by the U.S. State Department to travel with more than just their sunscreen. In a recent release from the State Department, the high rate of crimes in Haiti, especially those against Americans, juxtaposed with the lack of reliable medical services such as ambulances and the limited scope of the protection offered by security forces, make the need for personable measures safeguarding individual safety necessary.

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In this picture, you can see the airline that many Haitians were proud of. Haiti Trans Air was a Haitian own airline. It started in 1987, frying from Miami International Airport to Port-au-Prince. It went oiut of business in 1995, after providing services to its customers for over eight years.

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Several factors currently in place in Haiti cause the situation to be dangerous for visitors of Haiti. Consequently, the U.S. State Department is warning its citizens to strongly consider before deciding to visit Haiti. This is one of the strongest statements for a while by the United States government regarding traveling to Haiti. It sites factors such as high crime level, cholera outbreak and inadequate infrastructure.

The announcement by the United States government warning people not to travel to Haiti came out a few days after the Haitian President Michel Martelly traveled in several regions in the country promoting tourism.

This new warning by U.S. State Department not to travel to Haiti can not be good for business

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The Carnival des Fleurs inspired the addition of two flights by American Airlines into Port-au-Prince from Miami. Undertaken on Friday the 26th and Saturday the 27th of July, 2013, both flights helped to enhance the convenience for passengers wishing to travel from Miami to Port-au-Prince. Suddenly, the route without any flights had multiple, as newly inaugurated Haiti Aviation also took to the skies with its own flights linking both cities. The first flight from Miami landed at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport two hours behind the schedule, at nearly noon.

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When, in early June, Insel Air ceased their flight operations which connected Miami to the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, a huge gap was left in the market alongside the inconvenience suffered by travelers who were forced to find alternate, almost certainly more expensive methods to travel between both capital cities. When Haiti Aviation began its operation in July, armed with a new wet lease signed with Falcon Air Express, the route opened up once more.

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Haiti Aviation, with its base at the Port-au-Prince Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Haiti, operates using a wet lease of a MD-83 from Falcon Air Express. Officials said the intention of the airline is to bring tourists back to Haiti, a move which is in tandem with the Tourism Ministry's efforts to organize tour packages with various operators. They had their first flight on the 19th of July, 2013.

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A hospitality training center was launched in Les Cayes with President Martelly and Stephanie Villedrouin, Minister of Tourism, attending.

The school was built where Senegalese peacekeepers representing the UN mission had formerly based their operations.

Minister Villedrouin has made hotel and restaurant training a high priority in her department. She says the goal is to offer vocational training for youth in the South Department so they can work in a profession that pays decent wages.

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