Minister Bartlett began his speech by mentioning Madam Speaker, then went on to point out the incredible progress of Jamaica’s travel sector – a shining example of economic development and wealth. Jamaica’s tourism successes have made the country famous worldwide and have helped to boost the nation’s economic growth. Jamaica experienced an extraordinary surge in its tourism sector in 2023, drawing tourists from everywhere to enjoy the breathtaking shorelines, fantastic destinations, lively culture, scrumptious food, and friendly gentleness. This spike in visitors has led to a large growth in the economy, resulting in an unprecedented income. It is thought that the island will have 4,53,100 people visiting from January to December in 2023. This would amount to a growth of 23.7% more than the number of visitors in 2022. It’s projected that 2,875,549 will come to the country as stopover visitors, and this would be a 16% increase in comparison to those arriving in 2022. It is expected that the number of cruise passengers by the end of the year will be 303,246,551, showing an impressive 46.1% increase from the number of passengers from the previous year.
