Montego Bay Post Record Highs in Tourist Arrivals
Jamaica's Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has announced that record numbers of British travelers have visited the island in the first four months of this year and predicts a return to pre-pandemic levels for 2022. The news coincides with research published by World Travel Market which reports that summer travel recovery is being led by Jamaica with arrivals to Montego Bay 23 percent up year-on-year.
The strong recovery news comes as Jamaica also launches “Jamaica House” in Birmingham; a five-day watch party for the Commonwealth Games and lively Jamaican entertainment. The activities also mark Jamaica’s sixtieth anniversary of independence which falls on Saturday 6 August.
More than 74,400 British holidaymakers have already visited Jamaica to the end of April this year compared to 71,400 in 2019. The Jamaica Tourist Board is confident that arrivals through the whole of 2022 will match the previous annual record of 225,000 British visitors. Jamaica is forecasting a total of 3.2 million travellers in 2022 contributing more than three billion US dollars to its economy.
World Travel Market’s forecasting report, with research undertaken by Forward Keys, shows that Montego Bay in Jamaica tops the table of fastest recovering destination for summer travel worldwide exceeding recovery levels in other locations as diverse as Delhi, Athens, Orlando and Paris. In the table, Punta Cana is ranked second with a 19 per cent recovery and Cancun is ranked third with 14 per cent recovery.
Jamaica’s Tourist Board and Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport will host Jamaica House as part of the year’s spectacular celebration of Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of independence. It will be held at The Glee Club, one of Birmingham’s finest venues for comedy and live entertainment from 3 to 7 August and will highlight the best of Jamaican culture, music and gastronomy for fans of Jamaica, sporting enthusiasts and anyone wanting to be immersed in the joyful, vibrant welcoming spirit of Jamaica.
