First-quarter tourist arrivals hit new record, says Bartlett
DESPITE A record-breaking 2017, Jamaica tourism numbers for the first quarter of the year have hit new records, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.
“Total stopover and cruise passenger arrivals stood at approximately 1.3 million for the first quarter of 2018 (January to March). That is over 80,000 more tourists than the corresponding period last year, or 6.6 per cent. Provisional data shows that the month of March also recorded a whopping 11.3 per cent increase in stopover arrivals over the same month last year. Of note also is that for the period, gross estimated foreign exchange earnings stood at US$821.2 million, representing an increase of eight per cent,” said Bartlett.
These figures come on the heels of last year’s record growth in arrivals, which eclipsed the total increase of the previous four years, 2012-2015, with total arrivals of approximately 4.3 million and foreign exchange earnings reaching approximately US$3 billion.
Bartlett said that “these increased figures are as a result of a dynamic and multifaceted stakeholder engagement campaign cutting across our main markets – the US, Canada, and Europe – by our team and our first-rate partners in the private sector. We have, over the last several months and weeks before and after the implementation of enhanced security measures in St James, met with major industry players to reassure the world that Jamaica is open for business and is a firstclass destination”.
He added: “This continued growth in arrivals also indicates that we are well on our way to surpassing our five-millionannual visitor-arrivals target before 2021 under my ‘5x5x5’ growth strategy. The consistent increase in arrivals is also proof that our tourism product remains robust and highly sought after by tourists worldwide.” said Bartlett.