Kingston, Jamaica – Despite the recent challenges posed by Hurricane Beryl, Jamaica’s tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience, welcoming over 105,000 stopover visitors since reopening its ports. This impressive statistic, announced by the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during his closing presentation of the 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate in Parliament, underscores the industry’s strength and its significant contribution to the Jamaican economy.
“On July 2nd and 3rd, we had no visitors arriving in Jamaica,” said Minister Bartlett. “However, on the Fourth of July, we started receiving visitors again and in just 11 days, we have brought in 105,000 stopover visitors. This is what resilience looks like.”.
He noted that the rapid rebound is a testament to Jamaica’s well-honed disaster preparedness plans and the unwavering spirit of its tourism stakeholders. The Minister further explained that the arrival numbers received a significant bump thanks to patrons visiting for Reggae Sumfest 2024, currently underway in Montego Bay.
Minister Bartlett also reiterated the industry’s impressive performance over the past year. Gross earnings surged to US$4.38 billion, reflecting a remarkable 9.6% increase compared to the previous fiscal year. This growth is fueled by a record-breaking 2.96 million stopover arrivals, representing a 9.4% rise over 2022/2023.
The Minister went on to highlight that the resilience extends beyond stopover arrivals as cruise tourism has also experienced a significant resurgence, with a 16% increase year-on-year. Jamaica has already hosted nearly 800,000 cruise passengers in the first half of 2024.
“We have already welcomed 2.4 million visitors to our island this year, keeping us well on track to achieve our annual target of 4.3 million,” Minister Bartlett shared. “These figures are not just numbers. They represent jobs for our people, opportunities for our businesses and a stronger, more resilient economy for Jamaica. They affirm our position as a premier Caribbean destination and underscore the effectiveness of our tourism strategies.”
