Jamaica: The Right Place to Visit and do Business Within the Caribbean
The ‘heartbeat of the world’ excites and enthrals overseas visitors of all ages
Known as the ‘land of wood and water’, Jamaica’s rich tourism offerings include an array of white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, tropical greenery and very hospitable people. The island’s colourful history and natural beauty make it an ideal destination for travellers seeking unforgettable adventures.
Such is Jamaica’s robust appeal, visitor numbers to the island have rebounded strongly since the government introduced a series of Covid-19 safety and testing protocols that set the benchmark for other tourism-dependent nations to target. The results have certainly been remarkable, with more than 1.5 million people visiting Jamaica in 2021, a significant total that generated an impressive $2 billion in revenue.
While many visitors opt to spend time relaxing by the sea or pools, for the more adventurous, Jamaica’s beautiful landscapes provide the platform for thrill-seekers to enjoy a variety of adrenaline boosting experiences, from river rafting down the Rio Grande, to hiking in the Blue Mountains, to zip lining through lush tree canopy.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of Jamaica’s economy as the sector comprises a crucial part of our national development and economic strategy,” states Donovan White, director of tourism at the award-winning Jamaica Tourist Board. “Jamaica offers very unique and top-of-the-line travel experiences, with world-renowned resorts as well as diverse attractions, riveting music and a cuisine that caters to international travellers from across the globe. Jamaica’s menu of options provides unmatched holiday offerings that cater to discerning travellers from the Gulf and other Arab and Middle Eastern countries,” he continues.
“We bring to the table a good product line for families as well as adventure seekers and people who have interests in areas such as music, food, culture or our natural assets like beaches, flora and fauna. We are ready to welcome our guests from the Middle East and hope this will create a unique cultural exchange between Jamaica and the regions.” During a visit to the Gulf in 2021, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett held high-level talks with key players in the cruise and aviation sectors. The dynamic politician participated in critical discussions with executives of maritime services provider DP World, as well as senior officials from leading airline Emirates regarding the potential creation of the inaugural Dubai to Kingston route.
“The UAE represents the next critical partner in Jamaica’s tourism matrix and we thought that it was time that Gulf airlines started flying into the Caribbean region — that is a major objective for us,” says Bartlett. “Jamaica would be positioned as the region’s hub, so arrivals could come into our Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay and then could be transferred to other destinations in the Caribbean, South America and even North America.”
Bartlett is also eager to explore a wider range of mutually beneficial financial and investment partnerships as Jamaica looks to construct a string of ‘mega investments and mega partnerships’ to build much of the infrastructure required to boost the country’s tourist industry and national economic performance. “The capital markets in our region are limited in terms of their ability to drive that type of investment,” he explains. “Engaging with Gulf partners would enable us to have that sort of capital injection into the region. This could be a great gamechanger.”
Resilient Tourism Sector Offers a Range of Rewarding Investment Opportunities
Jamaica is taking its tourism portfolio to the next level via new infrastructure funded by wealthy foreign partners
Jamaica is an extremely investment-friendly country that invites and welcomes foreign capital. Especially in the tourism sector, the island provides the right environment and considerations for investments to flourish. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett is quick to highlight several of the many reasons the sun-kissed country is catching the eye of investors seeking rich returns. “We have a very active foreign exchange programme, allow repatriation of profits and movement of assets at will, and nobody in Jamaica puts a stricture on business initiatives, which is extremely important,” he states.
“We also have a very modern and progressive fiscal regime that guides and assists investment activity in our country, and the ease of doing business in Jamaica is at a high level. We have a highly educated population that speaks English. There are many investment projects available in the Caribbean, not just in Jamaica. Investment provides jobs, which provide income, which provides revenue that benefits everybody.”
Jamaica’s immeasurable charm regularly makes international travel press headlines and, prior to the pandemic, tourist arrival records were being achieved on a frequent basis. More than 4.5 million people arrived in the 12 months to March 2020, and while the fallout of Covid-19 disruption has been significant, life is now returning to normal, with upbeat tourism chiefs forecasting a full rebound in visitor numbers by 2024 at the latest.
Established nearly 70 years ago, Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is the ambitious national tourism agency, which coordinates a comprehensive range of marketing and promotional activities and initiatives from its headquarters in the bustling capital city, Kingston. In October 2021, JTB was declared the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board by the World Travel Awards (WTA) for the 13th consecutive year, while Jamaica was named the Caribbean’s Leading Destination for the 15th year running as well as the Caribbean’s Best Spa Destination and the Caribbean’s Best Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions Destination.
Glory at the WTA is the ultimate travel and tourist industry accolade. Voted for by travel and tourism professionals and consumers worldwide, the awards recognise demonstrated commitment to excellence. Strict health and safety protocols, developed in conjunction with health and tourism authorities, saw the tropical gem become one of the first to receive the coveted World Travel and Tourism Council’s Safe Travels stamp of approval.
“We’ve had to think differently about how we market Jamaica beyond traditional means, and this approach has strengthened our position at the forefront of tourism recovery,” comments JTB director of tourism, Donovan White. “Through the innovative use of online marketing to maintain consumer connections and expand our digital marketing initiatives, we have provided consumers with exclusive access to the destination like never before. This new landscape led us to reimagine and transform in-person experiences into digital activations to generate consumer anticipation, desire, excitement and, ultimately, the confidence to drive travellers to visit Jamaica again,” he adds “We’ve also adjusted the way we market and conduct events that are traditionally held in person by engaging consumers and industry partners on virtual platforms. We’ve created virtual tours of the destination that highlight our brand pillars of gastronomy, adventure, romance, music and, above all, our people.”
White is confident more and more visitors from the Middle East will book holidays in Jamaica as word spreads of the island’s pulling power. “Our discussions during our trip to the UAE in 2021 were fruitful, and the talks will undoubtedly result in the process of securing new investments, markets and gateways from the Middle East to Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean. This augurs well for Jamaica, as our tourism sector represents an important component of the island’s national development.”