Tourism will be Jamaica's biggest driver of economic growth

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‘Jamaica rocking and rolling’

Optimistic Levy sees growth in local business for Broilers Group

April 2, 2025

Jamaica Broilers Group Limited (JBG) is optimistic about its growth prospects due to increasing demand in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean as the company’s chicken and egg production hits record numbers.

This was the message of JBG Group president and Chief Executive Officer Christopher Levy at a private briefing held last Thursday on the company’s third-quarter (November to January) report. Jamaica is the primary market for JBG which operates several brands such as The Best Dressed Chicken, Reggae Jammin, and Hamilton’s Smokehouse. These brands have continued to expand over the last decade with the company recently introducing new SKUs (stock keeping units) or products such as branded Vienna sausages, nuggets and boneless wings.

“Jamaica is in a very good spot. The area that Jamaica is most competitive in is in tourism. When you look at the growth of tourism, that has a direct impact on us. So, you take a hotel, and a hotel puts up 350 rooms, about two-people occupancy and is running 70 per cent occupancy, there are about 600 to 700 people in a hotel. They run about four people [staff] to a guest. They will have a back office of let’s say 1,000 to 2,000 people,” Levy reasoned.

“That drives our business in the most unbelievable way. The opportunity that is there for us in our local business is incredible. We need to invest and keep growing in Jamaica. While I think that the opportunity for us is in the USA, Jamaica is rocking and rolling.”

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...cking-rolling/

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Jamaica on strong growth path with over 4.5 million visitors forecast for 2025

Jamaica is on track to welcome more than 4.5 million visitors in 2025, with tourism earnings projected to reach US$4.62 billion, continuing the island’s impressive post-pandemic growth trajectory.

Delivering the latest forecast during a presentation at Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday, Philip Rose, deputy director of tourism for the Americas, outlined the island’s robust performance and its strategic focus on community impact.

“In 2024, Jamaica welcomed 2.9 million stopover visitors and 1.2 million cruise passengers,” said Rose. “That number is expected to climb in 2025 to just over three million stopovers and 1.4 million cruise passengers, culminating in total arrivals of 4.5 million.”

By 2026, the country is targeting 3.4 million stopovers, 1.6 million cruise passengers, and earnings of US$5 billion, aligning with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett’s growth strategy.

“While we celebrate heads in beds and bums in seats, at the core of our efforts is who we do it for, the jerk chicken vendor, the market lady, the bellman. Tourism must benefit our people,” said Rose.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...-forecast-2025

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Jamaica eyes strong summer despite US economic concerns

A noticeable decline in Canadian travellers to the United States is reshaping the region’s tourism flows and Jamaica is poised to be among the key beneficiaries.

With political tensions and shifting travel preferences causing Canadians to bypass the US in favour of the Caribbean and Europe, Jamaica is capitalising on the opportunity with expanded airlift and intensified destination marketing.

According to Statistics Canada, Canadian residents returning from the US by air dropped by 13.5 per cent in March 2025 compared to the previous year, while cross-border travel by road fell by over 30 per cent. As a result, destinations like Jamaica are seeing heightened interest, especially from travellers seeking warm-weather alternatives with robust all-inclusive options.

At the 43rd Caribbean Travel Marketplace hosted at the American University of Antigua, Angella Bennett, Jamaica’s regional director for Canada, and Philip Rose, deputy director of tourism for the Americas, shared updates with The Gleaner on market shifts, airlift growth, and diversification strategies that are already bearing fruit.

Bennett says Jamaica is in a prime position, with Air Canada designating the island its “castle destination,” a label reserved for its most prioritised markets. The country is seeing 17,000 more seats this summer, and an additional 35,000 for winter 2025–26, including new flights out of Ottawa, Halifax, and Quebec City.

“Quebec City service begins December 6. It’s a direct result of years of strategic engagement,” Bennett said, noting that the airline’s redirected aircraft from U.S. routes are now serving Jamaica and the Caribbean.

She added that the Canadian market is seeing consolidation, particularly, with WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing, but Jamaica continues to enjoy visibility across both brands. “We’re also seeing new luxury-focused partners like OTS entering the space and showcasing our high-end properties,” she said.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...nomic-concerns

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FOOD PRODUCTION, EVENTS TO LEAD GROWTH IN APRIL QUARTER

JAMAICA’S economy is expected to register continued growth when the curtain closes on the current April to June quarter, owing to stronger output across a number of key industries.

The projection by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is for growth to take place within the range of 0.5 per cent–1.5 per cent, supported by increased outturns from mostly the agriculture, tourism and construction industries.

The agriculture sector,
after suffering significant setbacks from Hurricane Beryl and Tropical Storm Rafael in late 2024, is now showing signs of recovery. PIOJ Director General Dr Wayne Henry indicated that growth in this critical industry is likely to continue, supported by stronger domestic crop yields and a lessened drag on the export crop component, particularly as longer-term crops start to bear fruit.

In the tourism sector, a surge in stopover arrivals — fuelled by events such as Spring Break, the Easter holidays and Jamaica Carnival — is further expected to contribute significantly to overall growth. Additionally, increased construction activity, spurred by the roll-out of major infrastructure projects at the start of the new fiscal year, is also expected to play a key role. These include both residential and non-residential developments as well as the Government’s $45-billion Shared Prosperity Through Accelerated Improvement to Our Road Network (SPARK) programme which has been generating hundreds of new jobs across the island.

Pointing to preliminary data which show a 5.3 per cent increase in airport arrivals for April, the director general said this largely stemmed from the country’s hosting of a number of major entertainment activities which attracted large international patronage. For Carnival, this event alone brought a record surge in foreign arrivals and high economic impact which was said to be at least 10 per cent more than that seen for the previous year. In 2024, the usually well-attended event was estimated to have generated near $100 billion in total economic output.

For the just-concluded staging it was reported that the spillover from capacity in the Corporate Area spread to other parts of the country, such as Ocho Rios, as visitors scrambled to secure accommodations following mass bookings which began from as early as the ISSA/Grace Kennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships in late March and the Glam Slam Track sporting event which took place in early April. (When me seh Tourist no just travel fi sun, sand and sea).

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...april-quarter/

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Fort Charlotte development even more critical now, says Bartlett

UCEA, Hanover — Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has reaffirmed that the long-awaited transformation of Lucea’s Fort Charlotte into a heritage entertainment site remains a top priority. He cited rapid expansion of tourism-related developments in the parish as one reason for renewed urgency in getting the project done.

Fort Charlotte is a historic heritage site.

“With the expansion of Palladium [hotel], there is going to be a greater demand. And secondly, the further expansion of Princess [Hotels and Resorts], with a casino down there and a thousand more rooms added. Then we have Rhodes Hall development to come, with another thousand rooms from Wyndham Viva. The whole of that area is going to be asking for high-end entertainment and good quality experiences, and Fort Charlotte stands as that hope for the area,” explained Bartlett in a recent interview with the Jamaica Observer.

The largest hotel to be constructed in Jamaica in recent times, Princess Hotels and Resorts opened two hotels in December and is scheduled to open Jamaica’s first casino within approximately four months’ time.

Plans for Fort Charlotte, which have been on the table for more than two decades, include a vision to develop it into a tourist attraction with facilities including an amphitheatre, museum, restaurants, and gift shops. More recent plans include rehabilitation of the historic site and integration into a broader transformation of Lucea as a resort town, with a focus on tourism, infrastructure, and preservation efforts.

Bartlett told the Observer that a shift in infrastructure plans for the area necessitated a comprehensive redesign.

“I tell you, we have to rethink the whole area, given what the new infrastructure arrangements are planned for Lucea and the areas around. We now have to think holistically. And when we plan, it has to be for a longer view. The short term, you know, quick-fix arrangements, we have to abandon and really look at how the entire area is going to look,” the minister stressed.

“We have an architect, Gordon Gill, who is looking at a number of places for us. He’s one of the best in the world, and a Jamaican. He has done the architecture for the new high-end hotel that we’re talking about in Paradise in Westmoreland. And he is also looking at re-architecturing the Montego Bay waterfront and the whole area. So we think that we need to look now at a different, you know, vista, and to see Jamaica far more holistically than the piecemeal arrangement that has obtained over time. And this is what I think the fourth term offers: An opportunity for us to take some hard look and to make big decisions that are going to ensure the long-term benefit of the country,” added Bartlett.

He noted that the reimagined Fort Charlotte project will require a significant capital outlay.

“Fort Charlotte is definitely on the cards. I know people are a little impatient because we’ve talked about Fort Charlotte a lot, but it requires a certain level of US-dollar investment, which we are beginning to see,” said Bartlett.

He outlined more of the big-picture thinking behind the project.

“As we change the way in which commuting happens and Lucea becomes more of a Georgian Town that we can now promote as a tourist town — and that’s what the whole objective is, to pedestrianise it in time. And then Fort Charlotte would come into its own as a major entertainment centre that can now connect the cruise arrangement that you heard me talk about — the effort to try to build more ports around Jamaica — so that we could create a Jamaican itinerary. And that’s where Fort Charlotte would come in handy,” explained Bartlett.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...says-bartlett/

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Jamaica eyes strong summer despite US economic concerns

A noticeable decline in Canadian travellers to the United States is reshaping the region’s tourism flows and Jamaica is poised to be among the key beneficiaries.

With political tensions and shifting travel preferences causing Canadians to bypass the US in favour of the Caribbean and Europe, Jamaica is capitalising on the opportunity with expanded airlift and intensified destination marketing.

According to Statistics Canada, Canadian residents returning from the US by air dropped by 13.5 per cent in March 2025 compared to the previous year, while cross-border travel by road fell by over 30 per cent. As a result, destinations like Jamaica are seeing heightened interest, especially from travellers seeking warm-weather alternatives with robust all-inclusive options.

At the 43rd Caribbean Travel Marketplace hosted at the American University of Antigua, Angella Bennett, Jamaica’s regional director for Canada, and Philip Rose, deputy director of tourism for the Americas, shared updates with The Gleaner on market shifts, airlift growth, and diversification strategies that are already bearing fruit.

Bennett says Jamaica is in a prime position, with Air Canada designating the island its “castle destination,” a label reserved for its most prioritised markets. The country is seeing 17,000 more seats this summer, and an additional 35,000 for winter 2025–26, including new flights out of Ottawa, Halifax, and Quebec City.

“Quebec City service begins December 6. It’s a direct result of years of strategic engagement,” Bennett said, noting that the airline’s redirected aircraft from U.S. routes are now serving Jamaica and the Caribbean.

She added that the Canadian market is seeing consolidation, particularly, with WestJet’s acquisition of Sunwing, but Jamaica continues to enjoy visibility across both brands. “We’re also seeing new luxury-focused partners like OTS entering the space and showcasing our high-end properties,” she said.

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/...nomic-concerns

Canadian visitors to top 600,000 with US$750m revenue, says Bartlett

TORONTO, Canada — Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica is aiming to welcome 600,000 Canadian visitors annually and generate US$750 million in tourism earnings by 2030.

The goal comes as the destination experiences a 22 per cent increase in Canadian airlift capacity for the upcoming winter season.

The new key performance indicators (KPIs) were announced during the minister’s address at the Edith Baxter Memorial Award, which recognises individuals who have made a substantial contribution towards the positive advancement of Jamaica’s tourism industry.

“Canada represents one of our most important and fastest-growing source markets,” said Bartlett. “The substantial increase in airlift capacity this winter demonstrates the strong confidence our airline partners have in Jamaica’s appeal to Canadian travellers. We are committed to building on this momentum to achieve our 2030 vision of 600,000 Canadian visitors and three-quarters of a billion dollars in tourism revenue.”

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...says-bartlett/

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Cruise tourism push

…stakeholders target stronger shore impact and local benefits

AJamaica continues to ramp up efforts to attract more land-based visitors, tourism officials are simultaneously sharpening focus on the cruise sector while also ensuring that the economic benefits extend far beyond the ports.

At the recently concluded Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2025, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett provided an update on the sector’s performance, noting that cruise tourism has shown a promising rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic fallout. For 2025, he said the industry projected to welcome 1.34 million cruise passengers, representing a 7 per cent increase above last year’s figures.

“Cruise tourism in Jamaica has lived up to expectations and even exceeded them post-COVID, especially considering how the sector continues to lag in other destinations,” said Bartlett. “The industry still faces challenges — particularly around emissions regulations and environmental concerns — but we are navigating these carefully.”

Highlighting recent challenges with the western Caribbean route, which has seen a plan for the Cayman Islands to develop berthing infrastructure receiving resounding rejection, Bartlett said this setback, which has not only complicated plans to accommodate larger ships in the region, is also likely to have a knock-on effect on local cruise call numbers.

Despite these headwinds, Jamaica’s itineraries with major cruise lines — including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Norwegian — the minister said remains robust and show strong potential for further growth.

Jamaica’s four main cruise ports — Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Falmouth, and Port Antonio — have all seen ongoing upgrades, aimed at delivering world-class experiences that connect cruise visitors with the island’s culture, history, and natural beauty.

The Falmouth Cruise Port, in particular, developed through a public-private partnership, has positioned Jamaica to receive some of the world’s largest ships and is considered one of the most modern cruise terminals in the Caribbean.

In an effort to further strengthen the economic impact of cruise tourism on local communities, Bartlett said he has tasked newly appointed minister of state, Tova Hamilton, to oversee the next phase of cruise tourism development

The plan is to expand Jamaica’s port network to enable a true Jamaican itinerary and minister Hamilton will have her hands full in dealing with our partners at the Port Authority of Jamaica as we work to ensure that Jamaica remains top-of-mind in terms of calls,” Bartlett said.

“Our aim as we move forward with cruise tourism is to build out the quality of the shore experience when these visitors come. It’s always about making sure of the three S’s — safe, secure and seamless as we also more importantly ensure that our local players are able to benefit from cruise arrivals,” he added.

Despite its growth, cruise tourism continues to face criticism for its relatively low per passenger spend compared to overnight tourism. Often, cruise visitors spend just a few hours in port — typically within commercial zones — limiting the economic impact on broader communities.

To address this, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and its affiliate, the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI), are rolling out initiatives to strengthen backward linkages and increase local economic participation. A key project in this effort is the Falmouth Artisan Village, located just outside the Falmouth Cruise Port.

According to Carol Rose Brown, director of the JCTI, the village, which more than houses some 20 shops that offers unique products crafted by local artisans, also aims to provide immersive cultural, culinary, and entertainment experiences.

“We believe the investment in the Artisan Village is about to pay off, especially with the upcoming winter tourist season. We’ve been working closely with cruise lines and destination management companies (DMCs) to ensure that visitors engage with the village. We’re also now working to develop a local programme to bring more vibrancy to the venue,” she told the Jamaica Observer during a tour of the facility held as part of the JAPEX 2025 activities last week.

Brown said that with cruise ships currently calling at Falmouth twice per week, this presents strong potential for consistent foot traffic.

“Jamaica welcomes about four million tourists annually, and if even 10 per cent of cruise visitors spend US$75 each, that would make a significant economic impact,” she closed while also noting that efforts are now underway to significantly strengthen its marketing of the village.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2025...-tourism-push/