US travel firm IBC Travel has launched a new service offering flights three times a week from Palm Beach International Airport to Abaco–providing a boost to the Family Island’s economy.

The service, which began on June 2, flies direct to Marsh Harbour on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The new flights are welcome news for the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation (MOTA), which is keen to promote the Family Islands as destinations in themselves, encouraging more visitors to travel widely within The Bahamas and expanding the focus outside of Nassau and Paradise Island.

Abaco accounts for around 28 per cent of all stopover visitors to The Bahamas and is fast establishing itself as a popular choice for both domestic and foreign tourists. Last year, 173,910 tourists visited Abaco, making it the third most popular destination in The Bahamas.

To increase its standing as an attractive destination, the government has committed to improving infrastructure throughout the island, including new port facilities in North Abaco and reconstruction of the Little Abaco bridge.

The Abaco flight is the first flight IBC Travel has launched from Palm Beach, but its second route to The Bahamas, with the holiday company already offering flights from Fort Lauderdale to Bimini.

IBC’s director of business development for the Caribbean, Richard Rose, commented: “Here at IBC Travel we are excited to deliver the well deserved service offering of this market to The Bahamas. We see great potential in this new development.”

Also this month, The Bahamas is to welcome another new air link when Copa Airlines begins its four weekly flights between Nassau and Panama City.

A recent study from the World Travel and Tourism Council estimated that The Bahamas will see 1.478-million stopover arrivals in 2011, with this figure climbing to 1.941 million in 2021.