The governor of the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, Everth Hawkins Sjogreenannounced that the department is on the verge of a “crisis” due to the closure of operations of the airline Viva Air at the national level.
This should, according to the official, to the drop in the influx of tourists on the islandsince Viva Air had in its operation four direct flights to the archipelago, which brought tourists to the island, both from the continental territory of Colombia and from other countries in the region.
(Supertransporte controls the airline Viva Air).
“This means less flow of tourists, less income for the territorial entity and less income for formal and informal employees. A social crisis is looming in San AndrésHawkins mentioned.
(These are the measures that the authorities took against Viva Air).
According to the governor of the archipelago, between the islands of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, The territorial entity saw a 45% reduction in the arrival of travelers in the month of February, compared to the data for the same month in 2022.
(How much would the travel agencies have lost from the Viva case?).
Likewise, in the month of January, the islands received 106,058 touristsrepresenting a drop in 23 % compared to the same period of the previous year, Therefore, the downward trend in the reception of visitors was already present since before the Viva Air crisis.
(Avianca extends support to Viva passengers until March 12).
Faced with this situation, Hawkins asked the Government to welcome the archipelago in the group of border departmentsas Santander and Narinowhich have exemption from tariffs and VAT for fuels.
“More than ever, we need the Government to pay attention to us and exempt us from paying these taxes as a border department. Today I launch again the SOS to the whole country, to the National Government and to the President. We need an air connection and the decision is in your hands, because the governor has lost all constitutional competence to do so. In your hands is the economic future of our entire population”, he finished.
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