Page 54 - Liberia Exhibit Magazine Issue1
P. 54
A New
Beginning
LIBERIA’S INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT GETS NEW
TERMINAL
After several years of dwindling in its wretched state, the
Roberts International Airport (RIA) is almost completed
to meet international standard of aviation with the
construction of a state-of-the-art 5000 square meters
passenger terminal that would hold about 320,000
passengers per annum and the excavation of significant
session of Runway 04-22, rehabilitation of parts of the
taxiways, airside geometric improvements including a new
turn-pad at runway end 04, widening of taxi fillets, grading
of the runway strip, storm-water drainage improvements,
taxiway and runway marking and rehabilitation of the
aeronautical ground lighting system.
The goal, according to the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) Manag-
ing Director, Wil Bako Freeman, is to make Liberia a destination
of choice for travels. Eventually he said this will attract tourists
to the country.
The two storey modern structure is expected to be ready for operation
in mid 2019, according to the LAA Management. Unlike the old termi-
nal, this one has an escalator and elevator to make passengers con-
veyance easy, a duty free store and two passengers boarding bridges.
MD Freeman said “on the departure side, there are ten (10) check-in
desks for passengers, a CCTV camera that would cover eighteen (18)
angles, flight information display system, restaurants.” He added that
ten (10) of the duty free stores will be occupied by Liberian owned
businesses.
Aviation plays a central role in supporting tourism considering the fact
that over 57% of international tourists now travel by air. Tourism is par-
ticularly important in many developing countries because it is a key
part of economic development strategies. Now that Liberia’s economy
is struggling to recover from several shocks, the new would be that
linchpin that can underpin growth and provide jobs for Liberians.
In Africa, an estimated 4.9 million people are employed in areas sup-
ported by the steady influx of overseas visitors, most of whom arrive in
the region by air, and contributed $36 billion to GDP in African econo-
mies in 2016. In some Caribbean countries, tourism provides one of the
few means of economic growth.
54 LIBERIA EXHIBIT | JANUARY - JUNE
Beginning
LIBERIA’S INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT GETS NEW
TERMINAL
After several years of dwindling in its wretched state, the
Roberts International Airport (RIA) is almost completed
to meet international standard of aviation with the
construction of a state-of-the-art 5000 square meters
passenger terminal that would hold about 320,000
passengers per annum and the excavation of significant
session of Runway 04-22, rehabilitation of parts of the
taxiways, airside geometric improvements including a new
turn-pad at runway end 04, widening of taxi fillets, grading
of the runway strip, storm-water drainage improvements,
taxiway and runway marking and rehabilitation of the
aeronautical ground lighting system.
The goal, according to the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA) Manag-
ing Director, Wil Bako Freeman, is to make Liberia a destination
of choice for travels. Eventually he said this will attract tourists
to the country.
The two storey modern structure is expected to be ready for operation
in mid 2019, according to the LAA Management. Unlike the old termi-
nal, this one has an escalator and elevator to make passengers con-
veyance easy, a duty free store and two passengers boarding bridges.
MD Freeman said “on the departure side, there are ten (10) check-in
desks for passengers, a CCTV camera that would cover eighteen (18)
angles, flight information display system, restaurants.” He added that
ten (10) of the duty free stores will be occupied by Liberian owned
businesses.
Aviation plays a central role in supporting tourism considering the fact
that over 57% of international tourists now travel by air. Tourism is par-
ticularly important in many developing countries because it is a key
part of economic development strategies. Now that Liberia’s economy
is struggling to recover from several shocks, the new would be that
linchpin that can underpin growth and provide jobs for Liberians.
In Africa, an estimated 4.9 million people are employed in areas sup-
ported by the steady influx of overseas visitors, most of whom arrive in
the region by air, and contributed $36 billion to GDP in African econo-
mies in 2016. In some Caribbean countries, tourism provides one of the
few means of economic growth.
54 LIBERIA EXHIBIT | JANUARY - JUNE
