Wed | Dec 17, 2025

Jamaica's tourism records strongest summer with US$1.5b in earnings - Bartlett

Published:Saturday | September 9, 2023 | 12:26 PM
Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett (c) pauses for a photo op with (l-r) Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Camille Needham, Executive Director of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Nicola Madden-Grieg, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association and Robin Russell, President of the JHTA. -Contributed photo

Jamaica's tourism sector recorded its strongest summer performance with over US$1.5 billion (J$232 billion) earned from more than one million visitors, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says. 

“I'm very pleased that this has been the strongest summer as over the period, we welcomed a little over 800,000 in stopover arrivals and 230,000 cruise passengers to earn US$1.5 billion," he said Friday.

He added that the data puts Jamaica "on a path that at the end of August we are at 2.7 million visitors overall and we have earned over US$2.9 billion, a 16.2 percent increase over 2022".

"This is the best summer, not just post COVID, but for Jamaica's tourism performance," he said while speaking at the launch of the Jamaica Product Exchange at the Courtleigh Hotel in Kingston. 

In April, Bartlett told Parliament it was estimated that Jamaica welcomed 1.18 million visitors, with earnings of US$1.15 billion, for the period January to March 2023. 

Jamaica welcomed 3.3 million visitors and earned an estimated US$3.7 billion in 2022 and projections for 2024 are for US$4.1 billion in earnings. Jamaica earned US$3.64 billion earned in 2019, the year before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jamaica's retains about 40 cents from every US dollar earned in tourism. 

Tourism is Jamaica's largest generator of foreign exchange and a major contributor to the GDP and employment. 

The upcoming JAPEX event will be held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from September 11-13.

Part of the activities will include the Jamaica Tourist Board's Hosted New Buyer programme that is expected to secure participation from several key new airline and wholesale partners and create inbound travel traffic and create partnership opportunities from Eastern Europe, India and Latin America.

“This is in alignment with our strategic efforts to tap into new markets to attract more visitors and increase our earnings. These new markets also represent huge tourism potential in terms of jobs and investment. With over 200 delegates which includes buyers and suppliers, 20 countries and strong international media representation this year, JAPEX signals renewed hope and optimism for new business and positive exposure,” said Minister Bartlett.

Since its inception in 1990, JAPEX has been dubbed the single most important business generator for Jamaica's tourism industry.

With two days of pre-scheduled appointments, wholesalers, tour operators and travel agents meet with close to 200 of Jamaica's leading tourism suppliers to conduct business negotiations.

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.