A Bahamian private charter operator says it has enjoyed a 20 percent increase in its Exuma flight volume due to a year-long tie-up with the $200m Rosewood developer.

Exclusive Aviation, which has been in operation for more than ten years, in a statement hailed the benefits of its partnership with the Miami-based Yntegra Group.

"When Yntegra started booking with us, we felt the difference almost immediately,” said Captain Aaron Hinsey, president of Exclusive Aviation. “Those trips to Exuma are steady, and in aviation, steady means we can keep our people working and our planes flying. That’s the kind of business that helps us plan for the future instead of just getting by."

The Rosewood Exuma project recently enjoyed its ground-breaking, and Captain Hinsey added: “Breaking ground is the moment you know the project is real. For us, it means more traffic in and out of Black Point. We’re looking forward to being the ones to carry their executives, their workers and, one day, their guests back and forth.”

As the project approaches its hiring phase, Exclusive Aviation said it anticipates a substantial uptick in business when transportation services are needed for the 150 employees who will live and work on Sampson Cay. The company also expects increased demand from travelers flying in from Nassau and the US to Black Point as the resort is developed.

Exclusive Aviation currently employs 24 full-time staff and, through an upcoming long-term contract with the resort as a 'preferred operator', is preparing to meet future demand by adding a new turbo prop aircraft and at least three additional employees.

“We’re getting ready now so that when the resort is hiring and operating, we can handle that traffic smoothly," Captain Hinsey said. “That growth means more jobs for Bahamians and more opportunities for our own staff to advance.

“Aviation and tourism go hand in hand here, and when more people travel to the Family Islands, operators like us feel it right away. Working with Yntegra has given us the consistency we need to

plan ahead, and it’s encouraging to see that impact even before the resort doors open.”