Jamaica’s Tourism Sector Nearly Fully Recovered
Jamaica’s tourism sector has almost fully recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had threatened the very survival of the industry, according to Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who made the announcement during a meeting with members of a special delegation from the Republic of Namibia, led by the African nation’s Minister in the Presidency, Hon. Christine //Hoebes earlier this month.
In making the disclosure, Minister Bartlett said: “The good news is that Jamaica has now recovered 90% from the COVID-19 pandemic in the tourism sector. Our recovery in terms of arrivals this year is likely to be well over 3 million, and we are also expecting our earnings will be just about $100 million, or so, below our best earnings in 2019 of $3.7 billion.”
The Minister also highlighted that Jamaica’s main source markets are also rebounding strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic. In giving a breakdown, Minister Bartlett noted that the United Kingdom (UK) is the only market where “we are pacing ahead of 2019” figures, noting that compared to pre-COVID numbers “we are 6% ahead in the UK market.”
The discussion with members of the delegation followed a meeting of the Jamaica/Namibia Joint Committee earlier this week where agreements were signed in several areas including tourism, logistics, urban development, and Diaspora cooperation.
Minister Bartlett noted that: “The US has come back very strongly, and while Canada is lagging behind a little, progress is being made.”
He also noted that based on Jamaica’s tourism recovery “we can give some help and support in terms of Namibia’s own recovery program.”
Bartlett outlined that under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which covers tourism, both countries will be collaborating in areas such as marketing, human capital development, sustainability and resilience building.
And he noted that this will entail working with officials in Namibia to facilitate the establishment of a satellite centre of the Jamaica based, Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) in the coming months.
In the photo
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left) receives a special gift from the Republic of Namibia’s Minister in the Presidency, Hon. Christine //Hoebes, following talks on collaboration between both countries on tourism, including areas such as marketing, human capital development as well as sustainability and resilience building, at the Ministry of Tourism today (August 5, 2022). The discussions took place during Minister Bartlett’s meeting with members of a special delegation from Namibia.
