Big News At Last: Airline and Hotel Operator Announced for St Helena

From the right 1 2 & 3 Main Street, soon to be the Jamestown Hotel

Friday 27th March 2015 was a day to remember in the history of St Helena.  This was the day when all was revealed to the local population as to who was getting the contract to be the first ones to fly in and out and who was getting the contract to operate the new hotel being built at 1 2 & 3 Main Street.

The announcements were coupled with an opportunities fair which highlighted all the new business and employment opportunities which are likely to evolve from the announcements.  A video link to South Africa was set up which relayed the Chairman of Comair South Africa and the Mantis Hotel Group. 

Comair will be flying from Johannesburg initially once a week on a Saturday.  The flight is likely to take around 5 hours and will be a daytime flight, returning to Johannesburg the same day.

the brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft which will be flying to St Helena

Mantis Hotels can be found across the globe

The news was communicated by our Governor Mark Capes. 

There were other good news announcements.  The signing of a contract to operate the new Jamestown Hotel which will be built on the site of our training school at 2onmain. 

Mantis are familiar with the island having visited here in 2013 with a view to looking at potential hotel sites.   Amongst others, they have a very nice hotel in Cheltenham and also the Draycott Hotel in London.


The building is starting probably July so we have a month or so to get all our stock and equipment together and move it out.

Governor Mark Capes about to begin his speech

Our new location is very likely to be Bertrand's Cottage in Longwood.  More of that when I have full confirmation that it will go ahead.

There was also confirmation that the local hospital is to receive an upgrade to the tune of over £2 Million.  This is great news to the locals who have to tolerate the thought of travelling by sea for five days to Cape Town when something is really wrong with them.

Niall O'Keefe Chief Executive for Economic Development on St Helena

Cathy and Chanelle from the Tourist Office

Kim and Mandy ready to welcome all to the opportunities fair