According to recent projections, Jamaica is on track to welcome 3.88 million visitors for 2023. This revelation comes from Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Donovan White. He was speaking at the opening of the 2023 Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX). JAPEX is a tourism trade show that was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall on 11 September 2023.
The Director explained that the 3.88 million visitors are due to an expected 2.74 million in stopover arrivals and 1.13 million cruise ship passengers. These visitor numbers will contribute approximately USD 4.2 billion to the Jamaican economy.
This performance analysis is based on figures from January to August 2023. The island welcomed 2.77 million visitors between January and August. These visits resulted in tourism earnings of USD 2.9 billion for the eight months. When compared to 2022 figures, the island realized a 32 percent increase in arrivals. At that time, 2.09 million visitors arrived on the island.
Mr. White expressed his excitement at the growth in numbers. He said, “We are, indeed, extremely excited about the fact that we are growing in the right places and we’re growing steadily on the visitor numbers.” He also lauded the increases in tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings. And, he stressed that they were due to the efforts of Jamaica’s tourism stakeholders. Mr. White also promised that the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) will continue to work with local and international stakeholders.
About JAPEX
JAPEX is a tourism trade show that is presented by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA). This year’s event which was held from 11 – 13 September consisted of seminars, the identification of new opportunities for tourism development, how the island can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and strategic digital marketing. The trade show attracts local and international stakeholders who develop, promote and market Jamaica’s tourism product.
Image: Jamaica Tourist Board
