Jamaica continues to show rapid growth in tourism sector; earnings just under US$2B

Ocho Rios, Jamaica - one of the island's high-demand tourism destinations

Despite the challenges of the global economic crisis and other domestic impediments, Jamaica’s tourism sector continues to register significant growth.

According to official figures from Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett there was a 6.8 per cent increase in stop over arrival figures from October to December 2010 when compared to the same period in 2009.

Bartlett told stakeholders the figures for cruise arrivals are also encouraging with a 2.1 per cent increase for the same quarter compared to 2009.

“I am pleased to outline that preliminary figures for the fourth quarter of 2010 indicate that the sector saw growth in arrival figures both for stop-over visitors and cruise passengers,” he said.

“For stop-over arrivals the quarter saw a 6.8 per cent increase over 2009 with 444,489 visitors arriving compared to 416, 130 in 2009. For Cruise Passengers there was a 2.1 per cent increase for the quarter, over the same period for 2009 with 223,307 passengers gracing our shores compared to the 218, 763 recorded for 2009.”

Bartlett added that the Jamaican economy benefited tremendously from the increase in arrivals with earnings of just under US$2 billion.

The minister said the performance of the sector in the 4th quarter creates optimism that the tourism sector is poised for further growth in 2011.

Bartlett emphasised that the development of Community Based Tourism will fuel further growth in the sector. He added that Community Based Tourism “will broaden the base of tourism ownership and will diversify the benefits and earnings to various groups of Jamaicans.”