Jamaica is experiencing an unprecedented surge in tourism as the winter season sees the destination securing 1.6 million airline seats, underscoring the island’s status as one of the Caribbean’s most sought-after destinations.

The strong demand for travel to Jamaica comes as international airlines continue to expand their offerings, making the island more accessible than ever to visitors from around the world. The 1.6 million seats represent a significant increase in capacity, indicating a robust recovery for the island’s tourism sector and positioning it for continued growth.

“This is going to be the best winter season on record. This is the first winter that we have 1.6 million seats coming into Jamaica. We know that 1.6 million seats are 100% of the flights that are coming but we if consider 80% we are looking at 1.3 million visitors coming which is 12.8% higher than last winter which is also 178,000 more seats,” expressed Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

To mark the beginning of the winter season, the Jamaica Tourist Board hosted an Appreciation Breakfast on December 15 at Sangster International Airport and on December 18 at Norman Manley International Airport. The event was held to express gratitude to the airport staff for their valuable contributions to the tourism sector and for enhancing the travel experience for visitors.

Director of Tourism, Donovan White expressed his appreciation to all the staff from the international airports that have contributed to the growth and development of the sector. “As we welcome the winter season, the Jamaica Tourist Board is proud to host these appreciation breakfasts to honor the dedicated staff at both Sangster and Norman Manley International Airports. Their unwavering commitment plays a pivotal role in ensuring that our visitors experience the warmth and hospitality that Jamaica is known for. We are grateful for their significant contributions to the tourism sector and their efforts in making each traveler’s journey a memorable one,” Mr. White highlighted.

Each year at the appreciation breakfasts, the Chairman’s Award, the JTB’s highest honour, is given to a staff member whose exceptional contributions have greatly impacted the growth of the destination. This year’s recipients were Mr. Natawah Dixon from Sangster International Airport and Mrs. Sitara English-Byfield from Norman Manley International Airport. Additional awards were presented to staff members from the Jamaica Customs Agency, the Passport, Immigration, and Citizenship Agency (PICA), the Red Cap Porters Association, Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. This year’s awardees also included Delapenha’s Funeral Home and St. Michael’s Funeral Home, recognized for their outstanding partnership and exceptional service in support of Jamaica’s Tourism Industry.

About the Jamaica Tourist Board

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and Germany and London. Representative offices are located in Berlin, Spain, Italy, Mumbai and Tokyo.

In 2022, the JTB was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination,’ ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Wedding Destination’ by the World Travel Awards, which also named it the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 15th consecutive year; and the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Destination’ for the 17th consecutive year; as well as the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Nature Destination’ and the ‘Caribbean’s Best Adventure Tourism Destination.’ In addition, Jamaica earned seven awards in the prestigious gold and silver categories at the 2022 Travvy Awards, including ‘‘Best Wedding Destination – Overall’, ‘Best Destination – Caribbean,’ ‘Best Culinary Destination – Caribbean,’ ‘Best Tourism Board – Caribbean,’ ‘Best Travel Agent Academy Program,’ ‘Best Cruise Destination – Caribbean’ and ‘Best Wedding Destination – Caribbean.’ Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition.

For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica, go to the JTB’s website at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422). Follow the JTB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. View the JTB blog at visitjamaica.com/blog.

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