Tourism Minister says Jamaica experienced best winter season with 1.7 mn visitors in first 4 months

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica experienced the best winter season in its history, welcoming, in the first four months of the year, 1.7 million visitors, who spent US$1.25 billion.

“In the first four months of the year, we have had double-digit growth every single month from January to April 30,” he said.

Mr. Bartlett was making his contribution to the 2019/20 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 30).

He further noted that the tourism industry has achieved record growth in the last three consecutive years, which has surpassed “our aspirational average growth of five per cent per annum”.

“Last year, we welcomed 4.23 million visitors who spent US$3.3 billion, representing 8.6 per cent increase over the period 2017,” he said.

Mr. Bartlett said this notable performance is against the background of the 2013 to 2015 period, during which Jamaica experienced an incremental growth of about 120,000 visitors.

“In three months and one day, we have surpassed the 120,000 additional visitors to arrive in the country,” he emphasised.