Jamaica received 4.1 million tourist arrivals in 2023, exceeding pre-pandemic numbers

Jamaica’s tourism sector had a record-breaking 2023, with a report indicating that the influx of visitors exceeded both the figures from 2022 and the pre-pandemic record established in 2019.

The Jamaica Tourist Board revealed that approximately 4.1 million travelers visited the country in 2023, marking a 16 percent rise from the previous year and a 7.5 percent surge compared to 2019's visitor count.

In total, around three million United States citizens visited Jamaica last year.

“Jamaica continues to break records in terms of tourism arrivals in a spectacular pattern of growth,” Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said. “It is deeply gratifying to remain a top destination of choice among travelers internationally as well as from our primary source market, the U.S., and maintain our position as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations.”

New tourism developments

Moving ahead, the Jamaica Tourist Board anticipates the addition of 2,000 new rooms to the nation's hotel inventory in 2024, with a focus on notable developments such as the first 1,000 rooms of the 2,000-room Princess Grand Jamaica, the 753-room Riu Palace Aquarelle, and the 450-room Unico Hotel in Montego Bay.

Additionally, this year will see the introduction of new air services, including American Airlines' new route between Miami and Ocho Rios starting on February 24, and Frontier Airlines' new non-stop flight from Cleveland to Montego Bay's Sangster International Airport commencing on March 9.

“With a 42 percent repeat visitor rate overall complementing our remarkable visitor arrivals growth, we are confident that 2024 will be yet another record-breaking year,” Jamaica Tourist Board Director Donovan White said.

“In addition, we continue to add new airlift from key gateways and will have a number of new hotels opening throughout the year to support our tourism growth trajectory.”

Each year, the island hosts a number of mega events that drive tourism arrivals including Rebel Salute in January, Blue Mountain Coffee Festival in March, Carnival in April, Reggae Sumfest in July, and the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival in November, to name just a few.