3RD DCCA CONFERENCE HELD ON ST. MAARTEN: MAKING TRAVEL FROM THE ABC ISLANDS TO THE DUTCH CARIBBEAN MORE AFFORDABLE
St. Maarten – November 19, 2024 – The recently concluded Dutch Caribbean Cooperation
Association (DCCA) conference hosted by Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) on
St. Maarten brought together more than 150 international leaders, innovators, and
stakeholders to Sonesta Maho Beach Resort. The conference program featured keynote
speeches, dynamic panel discussions and workshops focused on inter-island connectivity,
economic resilience, climate adaptation, and digital transformation.
Jonny Andersen, Chairman of the DCCA, highlighted in his opening speech that while the
Dutch Caribbean has seen remarkable achievements in aviation within the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, it also faces significant challenges. He outlined five critical areas that the DCCA
believes require urgent attention: rising costs, sustainability, collaboration, advocacy, and
accessibility.
“This year’s DCCA Conference has showcased the power of collaboration and vision in
driving meaningful change for the Caribbean region. The phased implementation of reduced
Passenger Facility Charges, starting with Curaçao and Bonaire in January 2025 and Aruba in
February 2025, marked an important first step in making inter-island travel more affordable
and accessible. With special attention to key routes like Aruba-Curaçao, we are unlocking new opportunities for tourism and strengthening the bonds between our islands. As we
embark on this journey, we are not just reducing fees—we are bridging distances and
bringing our Caribbean family closer together.”
“It was a great honor to host the third DCCA ‘Flight to the Future’ conference on St.
Maarten,” added Brian Mingo, CEO of PJIA. We were delighted to not only meet our
colleagues from the DCCA, but also connect with the airport delegates and tourism boards
from Anguilla and St. Barths. Inter-island collaboration is one of the top priorities for
airports in the Dutch Caribbean and this conference provided a crucial platform to share
best practices, explore innovative solutions, and collaborate on a collective path towards
the future of air travel in the region.”
About DCCA
The Dutch Caribbean Cooperation of Airports (DCCA) is a cooperation between all six
Caribbean Airports within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. DCCA’s objective is to improve
the general quality of each individual airport by facilitating mutual assistance and efficient
exchange of information, transfer of knowledge and sharing of expertise with the goal of
achieving economies of scale. DCCA aims to present future-focused alternative air
transportation options to improve interisland connectivity between the Dutch Caribbean
Islands.
