Huge Increase in Stopover Arrivals Reported by Tourism Minister

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Mr. Edmund Bartlett reported high stopover visitor arrivals “This December is going to be the biggest December in the history of Jamaica for stopover arrivals and earnings,” the tourism minister announced.

Speaking to reporters in Montego Bay last week, Bartlett noted that up to December 21, the statistics showed that stopover arrivals grew by nearly nine percent but projected that the current momentum should push up the figures further by the end of the month.

He added that initially there was scepticism that the growth in stopover arrivals this December could eclipse last year’s figure.

“We initially thought this December would be a little soft, December traditionally is a big month and last December was a huge month, but we are now growing at 8.8 per cent so far and that is to the 21st [of December] and the big week of Christmas is now happening and then another big week for the new year,” Bartlett stated.

He pointed out that the growth in stopover arrivals will inevitably push the earnings for the year over the US$3.7 billion projection.

“We can see that December is going to give us some double digit out-turn. Chances are 10, 11 per cent, which would be really, really strong and would ensure that the projections of this being a mega December, and in ending the year are pretty close to 2.6 million stopover arrivals and the earnings that we had projected of US$3.7 billion may very well become US$3.8 billion,” the tourism minister stated.