Portuguese tourists showing renewed interest in Jamaica
Published:Thursday | June 19, 2025 | 12:06 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
After more than a decade of dwindling numbers, tourists from Portugal are seemingly showing signs of renewed interest in Jamaica as a travel destination based on a noticeable uptick in arrivals from that European market.
New data from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) indicate that Portuguese visitor arrivals, which previously peaked at over 11,000 in 2007, have begun to climb again, following years of decline and the significant downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The uptick, though still modest compared to traditional markets like the United States and the United Kingdom, is being welcomed as a positive signal by local tourism stakeholders. In 2023, 466 Portuguese nationals visited Jamaica, a significant 328 per cent increase over the 2021 figure of just 109 visitors. Already in 2025, more than 700 Portuguese travellers have visited the island.
“This is not just a statistical uptick. It signals a reawakening of interest from a market that once showed tremendous promise,” said Senator Delano Seiveright, the minister of state in the Ministry of Tourism. “We are now looking at Portugal as part of a renewed European push, especially as travellers seek more authentic cultural experiences.”
Jamaica experienced a surge of Portuguese visitors between 2006 and 2010, with annual numbers consistently above 9,000. While those figures eventually dipped, officials believe the foundation remains strong enough to reignite interest, particularly given the cultural ties, love of music, and diaspora connections between the two countries.
“It’s looking good so far,” noted Seiveright. “I think the last several months have been particularly difficult, certainly the last six to eight months, given the US presidential elections and many other distractions, bad weather, and a number of other factors. But we’re seeing a fairly strong summer so far. We expect a bullish winter.”
The optimism follows the recent arrival of the inaugural World2Fly flight from Lisbon to Montego Bay, which brought 360 passengers and marked a significant step in Jamaica’s European engagement strategy. The weekly flight has shown encouraging signs, with a 90 per cent load factor, prompting the airline to reduce the rotations to 18 as a strategic adjustment rather than a pullback.
“We believe this Portuguese strategy is working, and we’re exploring new ways in which we can get flights, possibly out of Spain. We have had some discussions about that. We hope to have some positive movement on that in the coming months and the coming year,” said Seiveright, in speaking to Jamaica’s growing appeal in the European market.
Within recent times, the Ministry of Tourism has ramped up discussions with European airline partners to improve airlift and market penetration. While the majority of European visitors still come from the United Kingdom, followed by Germany, Italy, and France, the Government sees Portugal as an emerging opportunity.
“The Jamaica Tourist Board is reviewing plans to re-engage the Portuguese travel sector, particularly through partnerships with tour operators and digital marketing campaigns that highlight Jamaica’s rich cultural tapestry, from reggae and cuisine to ecotourism and heritage tourism,” said Seiveright.
“We’ve seen younger Portuguese travellers showing interest in the Caribbean, and Jamaica stands out for its vibrant identity. With the right airlift and collaboration, this market could grow sustainably,” a travel consultant based in Lisbon was recently quoted as saying.
According to Seiveright, who described the market in Portugal and Spain as untapped and having the potential to bring in major numbers, strategies are being pursued to generate maximum pull from those locations.
“There is a huge untapped market in Portugal, Spain, and other European countries that we want to corner, and we want to get aggressive about it. So we’ve been talking to all the charter airlines there; we have been talking to some of the scheduled carriers there to see how they can add services to ensure that Jamaica continues to benefit,” he said.
With a renewed focus on European diversification and cultural tourism, Seiveright said the tourism ministry is confident that Portugal could become a key piece in Jamaica’s evolving tourism mosaic.