KINGSTON, JAMAICA – Despite the recent challenges posed by Hurricane Beryl, Jamaica’s tourism sector has demonstrated remarkable resilience, welcoming over 105,000 stopover visitors since reopening its ports. This impressive statistic, announced by the Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during his closing presentation of the 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate in Parliament, underscores the industry’s strength and its significant contribution to the Jamaican economy.
“On July 2nd and 3rd, we had no visitors arriving in Jamaica but on the Fourth of July, we started receiving visitors again and in just 11 days, I reiterate for emphasis that we have brought in 105,000 stopover visitors. This is what resilience looks like!” Minister Bartlett stated.
He noted that the rapid rebound is a testament to Jamaica’s well-honed disaster preparedness plans and the unwavering spirit of its tourism stakeholders. The tourism minister further explained that the arrival numbers received a significant bump thanks to patrons visiting for Reggae Sumfest 2024, currently underway in Montego Bay.
Minister Bartlett also reiterated the industry’s impressive performance over the past year. Gross earnings surged to US$4.38 billion, reflecting a remarkable 9.6% increase compared to the previous fiscal year. This growth is fueled by a record-breaking 2.96 million stopover arrivals, representing a 9.4% rise over 2022/2023.
The tourism minister went on to highlight that the resilience extends beyond stopover arrivals as cruise tourism has also experienced a significant resurgence, with a 16% increase year-on-year. Jamaica has already hosted nearly 800,000 cruise passengers in the first half of 2024.
“We have already welcomed 2.4 million visitors to our island this year, keeping us well on track to achieve our annual target of 4.3 million,” Minister Bartlett shared. He added, “These figures are not just numbers. They represent jobs for our people, opportunities for our businesses and a stronger, more resilient economy for Jamaica. They affirm our position as a premier Caribbean destination and underscore the effectiveness of our tourism strategies.”
Hon. Edmund Bartlett also announced that up to $2 million from the funds allocated to Members of Parliament for the ‘Spruce Up Pon De Corner’ Programme will be permitted for hurricane relief efforts in the constituencies hardest hit by Hurricane Beryl.
“The resilience of our tourism sector was truly tested with the recent passage of Hurricane Beryl, which impacted Jamaica as a Category 4 storm,” said Minister Bartlett. “Southern coastal
areas, especially in Clarendon, Manchester, and St. Elizabeth, were most severely impacted. However, the tourism industry overall did not experience any major fallout,” he added. Nevertheless, the tourism minister noted that despite isolated reports of property damage in areas such as Lover’s Leap, Treasure Beach, and other tourism communities, the swift and effective response mitigated further losses.
“Many of our small and medium players in the industry suffered immensely at the hands of Hurricane Beryl,” Bartlett said. He continued, “In an effort to rebuild livelihoods and support the recovery of the Jamaican people, the Ministry of Tourism is advising that two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) of the Spruce Up allocation is permitted for use towards relief efforts in the hardest hit constituencies. One million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of the allocation can be used in other less impacted constituencies. These efforts can include both goods and services geared towards alleviating the effects for those most affected.”
The $4 million allocated to each of the 63 constituencies through the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) ‘Spruce Up Pon De Corner’ programme is typically used for tourism-oriented projects.
Minister Bartlett also credited Prime Minister Andrew Holness and other members of the Government for their swift and comprehensive recovery programme. He commended tourism partners and representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and its public bodies, including members of the Tourism Emergency Operations Centre (TEOC) team, for their tireless work in mitigating the impact of Beryl and facilitating a speedy recovery.
“I want to express my deepest gratitude to our tourism workers, many of whom went above and beyond the call of duty, working tirelessly during the storm to ensure the safety of our visitors, often at great personal sacrifice,” Bartlett added.
The article Jamaica welcomes 105,000 stopover visitors since “Beryl” first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.
