By Mewati Sitaram
Jamaica’s tourism sector continues to chart an impressive growth trajectory, recording 2.3 million visitor arrivals and USD 2.4 billion in tourism earnings between January and June 2025. The figures, shared by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, were revealed at the recently concluded ‘Christmas in July’ trade show in Kingston, an event designed to promote local entrepreneurship and inclusive tourism development.
Highlighting the island’s enduring global appeal, including a growing influx of Indian travellers, Bartlett noted that Jamaica is on track to exceed 3 million stopover arrivals by the end of the year.
The country is preparing for a wave of innovative projects, led by the Caribbean’s tallest hotel and its first Tourism Innovation Township in Montego Bay. Anchored by a 33-storey Moon Palace resort, the township will integrate over 5,000 hotel rooms with social infrastructure like a STEM school, healthcare facilities, supermarkets, and community services. It will operate on a circular economy model, managing its own electricity and water supply while prioritising local goods for the hospitality sector.
Montego Bay is expected to see more than 10,000 new hotel rooms by 2030 with the launch of additional Sandals and AC Marriott properties, further solidifying Jamaica’s reputation as an investment-friendly destination.
The 11th edition of the Christmas in July initiative at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel showcased 180 Jamaican producers—106 of them first-time participants—offering aromatherapy products, fashion, artisanal crafts, and gourmet food. Since its inception, the programme has generated over $135 million in sales and helped Jamaican-made products reach international markets.
“Every handcrafted product on display represents one of the pillars in the journey to link tourism to the prosperity of all Jamaicans,” Bartlett said, underlining the importance of community-driven tourism.
The initiative, part of Jamaica’s Tourism Linkages Network, underscores the nation’s focus on building a resilient, self-sustaining tourism model, with opportunities for deeper collaboration with Indian travel trade and buyers.
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
