WILLEMSTAD, CURAÇAO – The island of Curaçao just celebrated the grand opening of its new airport terminal, the first phase in a 30-year contract to develop and expand the Curaçao International Airport.
The new terminal is a state-of-the-art facility designed to meet international aviation standards and to accommodate future passenger traffic demands for approximately 1.6 million passengers per year.
With this capacity, the new airport terminal provides facilities capable of accommodating future growth through 2009. Phase two, which will provide for growth forecast through 2031, will accommodate approximately 2.5 million passengers per year and is scheduled to begin when passenger traffic reaches 1.6 million.
“The need for a new airport terminal in Curaçao is testimony to the island’s growing popularity,” said Clifton Walle, Executive Director of Tourism. “With the grand opening of the new terminal and with future airport expansions, we will be able to provide an even better experience for our visitors.”
Along with a new airport terminal, which provides direct access to jet aircraft via loading bridges, phase one of the expansion included adding two large interior gardens and a large landscaped exterior plaza, as well as expansions for air-craft parking, passport control, check-in and ticket sales, and airport administrative offices. Enhanced safety, security, convenience and energy efficiency were primary features of the new design.
To ensure efficient energy use, the new terminal building was designed to harvest natural light and ventilation. Lighting plans include the use of energy efficient bulbs and fixtures inside the terminal and solar powered lights to fuel new exterior signs, parking lots and streets.
