Jamaica has welcomed 1 million visitors and earned US $1 billion in foreign exchange in the first two months of the year.
That’s according to tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett.
He made the announcement at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace press conference on Thursday.
Minister Bartlett says the numbers are unprecedented in the country’s tourism history.
Jamaica recorded more than 611,000 stopover arrivals since the start of the year.
There have also been more than 389,000 cruise visitors to date, which is a 29 per cent increase compared to the corresponding period last year.
The minister says the total number of arrivals reflects an increase of 15 per cent compared to last year’s numbers.
From these arrival figures, the island has earned US $1 billion, which represents an increase of 8 per cent.
Minister Bartlett says the numbers further highlight the impressive growth trajectory of Jamaica’s tourism sector.