Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (centre) with President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Robin Russell (right) and JHTA Executive Director, Camille Needham (left) at the 63rd Annual General Meeting.
Jamaica’s tourism sector is set for continued expansion as global travel surges towards 1.5 billion travellers by the end of this year, with projections of nearly 3 billion tourists worldwide in the next two decades.
Addressing the 63rd Annual General Meeting of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett outlined several strategies aimed at ensuring that Jamaica remains a top destination and continues to experience growth in the competitive global tourism market.
Minister Bartlett urged local tourism partners to be innovative and adaptive to emerging trends, emphasising that Jamaica must prepare for the rising wave of travellers by building the necessary capacity and offering superior service.
During the 63rd AGM, Minister Bartlett revealed plans for a marketing blitz in India, one of the fastest-growing economies globally, with a roadshow planned in Q1 2025.
“The Asian-Pacific countries will constitute the largest block of outbound tourism in the world. In 2 to 5 years, India will be the second most powerful economy. We are positioning Jamaica to be part of that growth,” Bartlett shared.
To support these efforts, the tourism minister disclosed that the Jamaican government has committed JMD 1 billion to tourism marketing through the end of the financial year. Minister Bartlett expressed confidence that with these strategies in place, Jamaica’s tourism sector is well-positioned for continued success.
Additionally, in regard to the tourism expansion plans, Jamaica’s tourism industry will be building Jamaica’s fourth International Airport in Negril.
A hotel boom is also underway in Jamaica. Starting with the Spanish hospitality group Princess Hotels & Resorts, has opened two luxury all-inclusive properties in Jamaica, Princess Senses The Mangrove and Princess Grand Jamaica.
These are the company’s first resorts in Jamaica, situated in a cove on Green Island, close to the Caribbean Sea, and a 34-mile drive from Montego Bay Airport.
