[MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica] – On June 4, Jamaica welcomed new air service into the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay from Austin, Texas, as part of its ongoing partnership with American Airlines. Sixty- six passengers disembarked the Embraer-175 aircraft, which has a capacity of 76. The flight, which will operate on Saturdays, also had a full load on both the return leg.
According to Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, Jamaica, this new service is part of an anticipated strong summer for the destination. This marks the strengthening of relations with the southeastern region of US market. Especially, as the building of capacity to drive the arrival numbers and develop a more robust route in the future. The projection for summer 2022 is that arrival numbers will be higher than the corresponding period in 2019.
Minister Bartlett anticipates that this will the largest summer for the tourist industry. He said, “Based on bookings we are well ahead of 2019.” In reference to the critical role that linkages with the tourism sector play, Minister Bartlett reiterated, “A strong summer means that agriculture will be stronger. It means that manufacturing will be stronger, transportation will be stronger and small and medium enterprises that feed so much into the experiences of tourism will be economically stronger.”
New Air Services to Jamaica
Due to heightened interest in the destination, there are more flights coming to island. “We are seeing more gateways opening as more inaugural services are on the horizon,” Minister Bartlett added. Over the next few months, Connecticut and Denver, among others, will be added to the list of new air services to Jamaica.
“Jamaica is buzzing. Summer has been one of our peak seasons. I am happy to see that we will soon be returning to pre-pandemic arrival numbers,” noted Odette Dyer, Regional Director, Jamaica Tourist Board. “All the strategies and plans have been carefully orchestrated. As a result, we are seeing the fruits of our labor. It is always a delight to see on the passengers’ faces when they get here, and the strains of the Mento Band add the unique Jamaican touch.”
Jamaica’s Recovery
This increased appeal of destination Jamaica has served to bolster the island’s recovery. “Jamaica has come out of this period of difficulty so much better than most of the world. In terms of our economic recovery, we are ahead of the Caribbean,” noted Minister Bartlett.
