Jamaica to earn in excess of four billion US dollars from tourism sector

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica is expecting to earn more than four billion US dollars this year as the island welcomes a record number of visitors this year.

He estimates that the total number of arrivals to be  4,122,100 arrivals which would represent a 23.7 percent increase over the 2022 figure.

Bartlett said of this number, 2,875,549 are expected to be stopover visitors, representing a 16 per cent increase over the number recorded last year.

“Additionally, we expect to end the year with a total of 1,246,551 cruise passengers, which would represent a 46.1 per cent increase over the tally for 2022,” Bartlett said, adding “This continues the spectacular growth pattern of tourism, both in terms of visitor arrivals as well as for earnings.

“Indeed, we have gone 10 consecutive quarters since the COVID-19 pandemic, showing significant growth,” Bartlett said in a statement to the House of Representatives.

The government said that the influx of visitors is expected to generate US$4.265 billion in tourism earnings for 2023, representing a projected increase of 17.8 per cent over total inflows for 2022, and a 17.2 percent spike over the out-turn for the pre-pandemic year of 2019.

Bartlett said that a further breakdown of the estimated revenues shows that the Consolidated Fund will receive US$57.5 million through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) fees.

In addition, the government will receive US$100.6 million from the departure tax, airport improvement fees estimated at US$28.8 million, airline passenger levy of US$57.5 million, and passenger fees, estimated at US$69 million.

The government will also receive US$22.7 million from the guest accommodation room tax (GART).

“Total overall, just for this year… is US$336 million or J$52 billion (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) into the economy, even before the tourists start to breathe air in this country,” Bartlett told legislators.

Source-CMC