by Brian Major
Last updated: 9:00 PM ET, Tue December 13, 2016
PHOTO: Paul Pennicook, Jamaica's director of tourism. (Photo by Brian Major).
Jamaica is one of several Caribbean nations that will end 2016 with strong year-over-year tourism growth and a sunny forecast of continued visitor increases. Significant increases in hotel capacity and airline seats dedicated to the destination will generate a six percent visitor arrivals increase in 2017 following two straight years of record guest totals, said Paul Pennicook, the country's director of tourism.
"Our overall growth projection for 2017 is over six percent in total visitor arrivals over 2016, so we're looking in the region of 2.3 million stopover arrivals and 1.8 million cruise passengers," said Pennicook in a statement this week. Jamaica hosted 2.1 million overnight visitors in 2015, its second straight year of more than two million land-based visitors. Each year's total set a new record for the country.
The island appears headed for another year of two million-plus overnight arrivals. Jamaica has recorded 1.7 million land-based visitors between January and October of this year according to Jamaica Tourist Board data, a 2.4 percent increase compared with 2015, said Pennicook. Jamaica also hosted 1.3 million cruise ship passengers during the same period this year, a 9.1 percent increase over 2015.
The overnight sector has benefitted from growing resort development, said Pennicook. New properties include the 228-rooom Royalton Blue Waters in Trelawny and the 454-room RIU Reggae in Montego Bay, both of which opened in November.
The 142-room Royal Decameron hotel on Cornwall Beach opened on Dec. 1 and AM Resorts' 150-room Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa is scheduled to open on Dec. 15. The Hideaway at Royalton, Royalton Negril Resort & Spa, Azul 7 Beach Resort and Spanish Court Montego Bay are all slated to open in 2017.
Jamaica's tourism success has come in a year during which Caribbean destinations faced numerous challenges ranging from Zika virus fears to competition from the Brazil Olympics. Pennicook said the country's multiple natural and cultural attractions have been instrumental in its success.
"As a vacation destination, Jamaica has so much to offer due in large measure to the diversity of our product," he said. "In addition to our beautiful beaches, our rivers and mountains, there is our tantalizing culinary offerings and our world-renowned music, plus the culturally rich experiences which today's travelers seek and of course the warm and hospitable Jamaican people.
He also lauded Jamaica's 11 medal-winning Olympic performances, which he said brought global attention to the destination during the Brazil games this summer. "Our amazing athletes have also been great ambassadors and we laud them for their invaluable contribution in promoting the brand and by extension destination Jamaica."
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