KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica is set to have a good winter tourist season says, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill as he expressed optimism about the prospects for the Winter Tourist Season, which begins December 15, 2015.
In sharing his outlook for the season Minister McNeill said that “we have been in discussions with our tourism partners, both locally and overseas, and based on the feedback received on bookings, we are convinced that Jamaica is set to have a good Winter Tourist Season.”
The Minister added that “the sector is ready for the season and players are upbeat. Our airport workers, ground transportation operators and the staff at our hotels and attractions are experienced and are well prepared. I am confident that our visitors will enjoy the unique vacation that they can expect only when they come to Jamaica.”
Additional Flights To Jamaica
Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook has also shared that additional airlift has been secured for the season with approximately 60,000 more air seats into Jamaica. Of this amount 50,000 will be from the United States. “New flights are also being introduced by airlines such as: Frontier Airlines out of Philadelphia, American Airlines out of Los Angeles and South West Airlines out of Hobby, Houston, daily,” said Mr. Pennicook.
Citing a steady flow of investment in hotels in Jamaica, by both local and foreign investors, amounting to some $64 billion since 2012, Minister McNeill expressed pleasure that a number of properties that were closed for room expansion and significant refurbishing are now open and able to accommodate the expected influx of visitors. These include Moon Palace Jamaica Grande and RIU Negril.
With only two weeks left in the year, Dr. McNeill also predicts that 2015 will be another record-breaking year for arrivals. He noted that “based on our performance so far this year Jamaica is set, to once again, surpass the three-million mark for total visitors.”
As a result of the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment’s Linkages Hub initiative, the benefits of the sector will be widely felt by our local producers, be they farmers, manufacturers or suppliers of other goods and services. In this way, employment will be created not only for workers directly employed in the sector but across all productive areas of the economy.
Dr. McNeill also commended the local tourism stakeholders for their contribution to the growth of the sector. He said “the successes that we have had are due to the hard work and commitment of our tourism partners including our tourism workers, marketers, hoteliers, attraction owners, and those responsible for funding and executing product development projects in this vibrant industry.”
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