A tropical island loved by Princess Diana is on the brink of a tourism revolution.
Royal fans are set to descend on Nevis, an island in the Caribbean Sea known for its stunning beaches and lush landscapes, as they aim to explore where Diana used to holiday. Their hopes will be made easier because the airport at Nevis, the smaller of the two islands comprising the nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, is set for a big expansion.
It will allow direct flights from the USA to arrive at Nevis, something the existing runway cannot accommodate. It has meant tourists have had to fly to neighbouring islands, and then travel across which has put some off visiting beautiful Nevis, home to around 12,000 people.
The runway will be expanded – and so larger planes most airlines use will be able to land. It is hoped fans of the British Royal family will be keen to explore Nevis and visit the same beaches Diana enjoyed with Prince William and Prince Harry in the early 1990s.
Photographs taken by the Mirror in January 1993 show Diana and the boys play on the sand, and make a splash in the water. The princess made several trips to Nevis in this period, around the time speculation about the state of her marriage to then Prince Charles swirled.
And the runway expansion could be the key Royal watchers need to get a taste for Diana’s passion. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, said: “We are proud of our rich history and the fact we were the destination of choice for Princess Diana. We look forward to welcoming more visitors and fans of the British Royal Family from the UK and further afield to experience everything our island has to offer.”
Speaking about the recent investment Nevis has received, he said: “Our beautiful island continues to strive forwards. Although our recent progress has been very positive, we are constantly on the lookout for major foreign investment which takes our island to the next level.
“Enhancing our airport infrastructure is central to our goal to become a regional Caribbean leader. We look forward to welcoming more visitors to our unique body of land.”
Mr Brantley hopes that increased private and commercial jet traffic continue to contribute to the island’s economy. He added: “Hopefully we can get American Airlines to come direct from Miami and we can get regional traffic coming into our airport. That’s the ambition at this point.”
Diana and the children stayed at the Montpelier Plantation Estate, a four-star boutique hotel near the beach. They also visited various attractions across the island, which are all said to be hopeful the airport expansion will boost their trades.
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