The newly built International Airport in Barbuda could bring in at least 20K tourists annually. So says Prime Minister Gaston Browne.

With several major hotel projects underway and others to come onstream, Browne said the high traffic will significantly improve economic activities on the tiny island.

“The head tax in Barbuda for visitors is higher than that of Antigua. It is USD$200 per head. So 20K times 200, $4M easily. When you look at the other taxes, including 10% on the sale of real estate, I can see Barbuda generating within the next five years in the region of 100M in taxes…”, he said

He said the projects earmarked are significant, with billions of dollars in investments expected to be pumped into the economy.

Some of these monies, according to Browne, have already been spent.

He said Barbuda would soon become a net contributor to Antigua and Barbuda’s treasury, and the government would ensure that the taxes collected would be retained for capital expansion