The construction of six new hotels, adding a total of 5,600 rooms, will begin during the current fiscal year in Jamaica, according to Steadman Fuller, the Custos of Kingston.
This announcement was made during the 2025 Throne Speech, delivered on Thursday at Gordon House, under the theme: ‘Jamaica’s Next Chapter, Aspiring to Greatness’. The Throne Speech highlights the Government’s priorities for the new parliamentary year.
Fuller revealed that the new hotel developments, which will also include housing solutions for 1,000 hotel workers, are expected to attract US$2.5 billion in foreign direct investment and create 10,000 new jobs within Jamaica’s tourism sector.
He also shared the success of the “revolutionary” Tourism Workers Pension Scheme, which has now surpassed 10,000 registrations and accumulated over $4 billion in savings. “This success reflects strategic planning, robust partnerships, and a focus on sustainability and inclusivity,” said Fuller.
Fuller also highlighted several key initiatives aimed at reshaping the tourism landscape in Jamaica. The Tourism Innovation Incubator, administered by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, has been fostering innovative ideas such as virtual reality tours and health and wellness tourism.
He further pointed out the opening of the Artisan Village in April 2024, a celebration of Jamaican culture and creativity, where augmented reality is used to enhance visitor experiences while benefiting local artisans.
The Custos also outlined the Government’s commitment to further transforming tourism through:
- Digital Transformation: Automating licensing, applications, and training access to increase efficiency and stakeholder engagement.
- Culinary Tourism: Promoting Jamaican cuisine globally, with the establishment of the Montego Bay Convention Centre Gastronomy Institute to empower chefs.
- Market Diversification: Expanding into new regions including Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East, while deepening engagement with African American communities in the United States.
“These initiatives are supported by expanded airlift capacity and dynamic marketing by the Jamaica Tourist Board,” Fuller added, noting that Jamaica’s tourism sector showed resilience and innovation in 2024. Despite challenges like travel advisories and severe weather, the sector welcomed 4.1 million visitors, generating US$4.3 billion in revenue.
Fuller emphasized that this growth moves Jamaica closer to its ambitious five by five by five goal—five million visitors and US$5 billion in earnings by 2025. He concluded, “Tourism investments continue to show strong growth, solidifying the sector’s importance to Jamaica’s economy.”
