Advertisement
BARBUDA — Operating hours at Barbuda International Airport are set to be extended into the evening following Cabinet approval for the installation of new apron lighting, a development government officials say will significantly improve access to the sister island and support its evolving tourism strategy.
Director General of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister, Maurice Merchant, announced during the weekly Cabinet briefing that the apron lighting project is expected to begin shortly. Once completed, the new lighting will allow aircraft to operate at the airport until approximately 9:30 p.m., replacing the current limitation that restricts flights to daylight hours only.
“The lights at Barbuda Airport are sunset lights, meaning once the sun sets, operations cease,” Merchant explained. “Apron lights will be installed, and this will expand the time of operations at the Barbuda International Airport up until 9:30 p.m.”
The project is being implemented in collaboration with the Antigua and Barbuda Airport Authority, which manages the facility. Cabinet was informed that extended operating hours are expected to enhance inter-island connectivity, strengthen emergency response capacity, and support tourism-related travel, particularly during peak periods and after-hours operations.
The airport upgrade forms part of a broader package of infrastructure improvements associated with major private-sector investments on Barbuda, most notably the Peace, Love and Happiness (PLH) development. The PLH project — a luxury resort and residential development linked to Discovery Land Company and the Barbuda Ocean Club — represents one of the largest foreign direct investments in the country’s history, with an estimated value exceeding US$1 billion.
According to government projections, the PLH development is expected to generate approximately 12,000 jobs over its construction and operational phases, including direct employment, indirect jobs, and ancillary economic activity. Officials have cited employment creation as a central pillar of the project’s long-term economic impact, particularly for Barbuda, which has historically faced limited job opportunities.
International attention surrounding the PLH project has increased due in part to the involvement of actor Robert De Niro, whose luxury Beach Club Barbuda is expected to open in early 2026. Government officials have emphasized that the development is designed to attract an upscale clientele while positioning Barbuda as a premium destination within the Caribbean tourism market.
Minister of Foreign Affairs E.P. Chet Greene has repeatedly stated that Barbuda’s development strategy is intentionally focused on high-end tourism rather than mass tourism. Speaking recently on Government in Motion, Greene said infrastructure investments, including airport upgrades, are aligned with that vision.
“It’s high-end,” Greene said. “We’re not going for this mass tourism that other countries go for. We’re going for high-end tourism.”
Greene noted that many visitors associated with the PLH project arrive via private aircraft and yachts, creating a distinct tourism niche that differs from traditional commercial airline traffic.
“Most of the persons who are part of the PLH project, for example, have their own private jets, their own yachts,” Greene said. “So it’s a different level of tourism bringing benefit to Antigua and Barbuda, in this instance Barbuda.”
He further argued that development on Barbuda is beginning to rebalance long-standing economic disparities between the two islands. Historically, Antigua has functioned as the country’s commercial center, while Barbuda remained largely dependent on the mainland for goods, services, and employment.
“Everything commercial happened in Antigua,” Greene said. “Barbuda had to come to Antigua to do all the shopping. Everything really was around Antigua.”
According to Greene, that dynamic is shifting as large-scale investments progress on Barbuda, with some projects now rivaling or surpassing developments on Antigua.
Improved airport access, Greene added, is central to supporting that transformation. “Small jets, as we speak, can land directly in Barbuda,” he said. “That itself means a whole lot to the aviation industry.”
The developments unfolding on Barbuda are being closely monitored across the region. Barbuda’s growing ability to accommodate high-end travelers directly — including after sunset — introduces increased competition for a market segment traditionally dominated by St. Maarten and similar destinations.
For St. Maarten, Barbuda’s airport expansion underscores a broader regional shift toward exclusive, low-density tourism models that prioritize high-spending visitors over volume. With direct private jet access, luxury resort offerings, and controlled development, Barbuda is positioning itself alongside destinations such as Saint Barthelemy, Anguilla, and Turks and Caicos.
Erwin E Dormoy
###
Picture 1 – The Barbuda Ocean Club, also known as the Peace, Love and Happiness (PLH) development, the runway completed in 2024, and the PLH golf course currently under development
Picture 2 – The Barbuda International Airport runway officially opened on October 3, 2024. The new airport features a 6,100 foot runway, significantly longer than the previous runway at Codrington Airport, allowing for the accommodation of larger aircraft, including private jets.Picture 3 – The new Fixed Base Operator (FBO) serves private jets at Barbuda’s runway, where apron lighting is to be installed to allow evening arrivals. (Benjamin Architects photo)
Erwin E Dormoy
###
ADVERTISEMENT
