With 832 million Internet searches on Jamaica in 2019, representing 1.5 percent of the entire global travel industry’s 1.3 million searches, the country’s tourism executives are confident that 2020 is poised to be a strong year for the Caribbean destination. Moreover, searches about Jamaica have jumped 76 percent in the last three years.
“That for us is a massive indication that there is a positive and outlook for demand for travel to Jamaica,” says the country’s director of tourism Donovan White.
The numbers coincide with a 2019 scorecard that shows 4.3 million total visitors, including 2.7 million stopover arrivals and 1.6 million cruise visitors. Approximately 400,000 Canadian travel to Jamaica each year.
To meet such burgeoning demand, Jamaica has secured more than 170,000 new air seats, including 14,200 from Canada, says White, who adds that hoteliers on the islands have also “stepped up to invest in our product.”
Notable developments include the upcoming opening of the Eclipse at Half Moon luxury addition to Half Moon resort on March 1; a new US$9.2 million luxury beach club at Tryall Club in Montego Bay coming later in the year; while last December, Montego Bay welcomed the sprawling 513-room all-inclusive Oceans at Coral Springs by H10 Hotels, which, when fully completed in May, will have 10 restaurants, two massive pools and waterpark.
Donavon adds that ground will also soon be broken on three new “mega” developments on the island this spring (and scheduled for completion by the end of 2021): Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (1,900 rooms); Karisma Hotels (the first 900 of 4,000 rooms); and Princess Hotel (2,000 rooms).
Meanwhile, in Kingston, a multi-purpose complex on the waterfront with retail, entertainment and commercial components will include the
168 Rock Hotel (by Hilton) and, by the end of the year, the Courtleigh Hotel Group will open its newly refurbished 400-room Tower (formerly the Hilton).
Such is the confidence of the Jamaica Tourist Board that the country’s new destination brand is called “JAMAICA, Heartbeat of the World.”
Unveiled at the recent CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Nassau, Bahamas, the campaign is designed to reflect “Jamaica’s outsized influence on the world,” and, at the same time, extend beyond tourism to recognize and encompass “all elements of Jamaica’s rich and vibrant culture including music, cuisine, sports, adventure, nature, and wellness.”
“‘Heartbeat of the World’ reinforces our position as a global leader among travel destinations and establishes Jamaica as the single destination every traveller must experience,” says White, adding, “On the map, Jamaica may seem like a small dot in the Caribbean Sea, but her influence on the world culture is the size of a continent. We are a cultural giant and we continue to have an indelible impact on the world’s food, music, sport, and literature while offering larger-than-life bucket list experiences with extraordinary, talented people.”
The new branding was in evidence at a recent hockey game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, the second Jamaica Night at the venue this season (Winnipeg also recently got a dose of Jamaica at Bell MTS Place).
Jamaica’s visibility on the international stage will also further be heightened this spring as the new James Bond movie, “No Time to Die,” which was filmed in part in Jamaica (the birthplace of Bond), is set to be released on April 8.
“We know that our destination is second to none,” says White. “It is evident that our small destination has captured the attention of the travel trade marketplace!”