Jamaica has recorded an impressive 1.7 million visitors as of May 7 of this year. Based on preliminary data, the island recorded 1,016,185 stopover arrivals and over 700,000 cruise passengers, earning roughly US$1.8 billion in revenue. This represents a 4.6% increase in stopover arrivals and a 23% increase in cruise passengers compared to the same period in 2023.

This announcement was made by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett during an interview with Sky News Arabia, one of the largest news conglomerates in the Middle East and North Africa. He also indicated that the island is on track to welcome 5 million visitors and earn US$5 billion by 2025.
“We are grateful to see continued growth in our arrivals and earnings, which speaks to the confidence our tourism partners and visitors have in the destination. To hit the 1.7 million arrivals mark is an outstanding feat and speaks to the commitment and hard work of our tourism team led by the heart of our industry – our workers,” said the tourism minister
“Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, Jamaica is on its way to achieving an unprecedented milestone. With one million stopover arrivals and over seven hundred thousand cruise passengers up to the first week of May, we are in a good position to make it happen. We will continue to aggressively market the destination and work assiduously with our partners to get there,” added Minister Bartlett.
Underscoring Minister Bartlett’s comments, Director of Tourism Donovan White added, “Jamaica remains a premier destination that is highly sought after for its authentic experiences. Whether it’s our food, music or entertainment, there is a vibe that only comes alive in Jamaica.”
Minister Bartlett is leading a mission at Arabian Travel Market being held in Dubai. Over the last three decades, Arabian Travel Market has become a leading global event enabling growth for the travel and tourism industry with some 41,000 participants attending this year’s staging. Minister Bartlett will be in discussions with several tourism partners and stakeholders as part of his strategic vision of attracting more visitors from this region. In addition, he will be meeting with the senior leadership of Emirates, the largest airline in the Middle East, at their headquarters in Dubai tomorrow to further negotiate air connectivity between the United Arab Emirates and Jamaica.

At last years World Travel Awards Jamaica had a huge night with the destination taking home over 30 major awards at the 2023 World Travel Awards Caribbean & The America’s Gala, held on August 26 in St. Lucia.
Jamaica was again named Caribbean’s Leading Destination for the 17th consecutive year with the Jamaica Tourist Board winning the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board award for the 15th year in a row. The country was also named the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination 2023, with the Port of Falmouth being named the Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Port 2023 and the Port of Montego Bay being named the Caribbean’s Leading Home Port 2023.

In celebrating the remarkable achievement of destination Jamaica and its tourism stakeholders, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said: “There’s always a strong sense of joy and pride that comes when you see the dedication of the tourism team being recognised and rewarded internationally. To see Jamaica consistently perform so well is a clear indication of our commitment to excellence.”

This years caribbean awards take place on July 1st at Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines