However, numbers are still down year-over-year

 Durrant Pate/Contributor

Jamaica has welcomed 2.34 million visitors, earning some US$2.5 billion in tourism revenue as at August 31, but this is down year-over-year, due to Hurricane Melissa.

The reduced number also comes with Jamaica operating with reduced room inventory. However, the performance, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, was nonetheless “satisfying” given the challenges currently confronting the sector.

Speaking at a JIS Think Tank yesterday (September 2), Bartlett pointed out that approximately 70 per cent of the country’s room stock is currently available, with the remaining 30 per cent being out of commission due to Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, which damaged several tourism properties across the island.

He acknowledged that the current numbers are “17 per cent less than last year to date, in terms of arrivals and 18 per cent down in terms of revenue. As for room stock the Tourism Minister remarked, “what we’re seeing also is that this 30 per cent represents some of the most demanding rooms inventory in the country… and they are coming back, but not until the end of the year to [the] first quarter [of next year].” 

Jamaica’s tourism remains in high demand

Against this backdrop, Minister Bartlett said that the level of visitor arrivals underscores the continued strength of demand for Jamaica as a tourism destination, arguing, “to have a situation where the demand for Jamaica remains as strong and that, in fact, the arrival numbers in terms of a percentage of last year is outpacing our inventory and the return and resumption of our inventory stock, I want to commend the Jamaica Tourist Board and our tourism team for the excellent job that has been done to keep it at this level.” 

He said the sustained demand has helped Jamaica maintain strong partnerships with its airline carriers, although airlift capacity has not yet fully recovered to pre-Hurricane Melissa levels; “they are not able to give us the level of airlift that we had pre-Melissa, but they are able to keep the routes going… and the good news is that they are flying full on every occasion.” 

Addressing concerns about higher airfares 

Turning to concerns about airfares, the Tourism Minister acknowledged challenges within the global aviation industry, which are contributing to higher airfares to Jamaica. These include ongoing supply-chain constraints, which have contributed to higher ticket prices 

According to the Minister, “the absence of the technologies to deliver at the pace required has been a big reason for the high rates that we are experiencing in terms of airfares,” citing supply-chain constraints, aircraft servicing difficulties and limited access to the technology needed to meet demands, as factors affecting the availability and cost of airlift.

Minister Bartlett is cautioning against using individual quoted fares to make broad conclusions about the cost of travelling to Jamaica, noting that airline pricing is complex, urging persons commenting publicly on airfares and the tourism industry to ensure that their statements are informed by a clear understanding of the broader aviation environment.

“I would urge that… we take the time to understand the ecosystem that we are operating in and then be more accurate,” the Tourism Minister emphasised. The JIS interview with Minister Bartlett was focused on sharing information on Tourism Awareness Week, slated for September 27 to October 3, 2026