Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has reported significant growth in the sector for the 2023-2024 financial year, with gross profits reaching USD 4.38 billion, an increase of 9.6% compared to the corresponding financial year.
In his opening contribution to the 2024 sectoral debate held at Gordon House yesterday, Mr Bartlett outlined the tourism sector’s performance, with stopover arrivals reaching 2.96 million, reflecting an increase of 9.4 per cent. reported that it is estimated.
Bartlett said cruise arrivals are expected to reach 1.34 million in 2022-23, up 9% from the previous quarter.
The Tourism Minister highlighted the performance of the country’s major airports, saying that the Kingston and Montego Bay-based airports generated a combined revenue of US$228 million or JPY30 billion.
He said the jump in revenue coincided with a record 6.96 million passengers using these facilities. Most of these revenues were derived from MBJ Airports Limited, the operator of Sangster International Airport (SIA), he added.
Mr Bartlett told MPs that confidence in the country’s tourism sector remained strong, adding: “We are on the verge of completing 2,000 new rooms in 2024 alone, with an additional 20,000 rooms within 10 to 15 years. We are making significant progress towards our ambitious goal of
Mr Bartlett said the government will unveil the first 1,000 rooms at the Princess Grand Jamaica in Hanover in the coming weeks, followed by the 753-room Riu Palace Aquarial and 450-room Unico in Trelawny in just two weeks.・He said he would open a hotel. Next summer in Montego Bay. He said these hotels will create around 2,500 new direct jobs and thousands more will benefit indirectly.
He also noted that the short-term vacation rental component of the industry is also rapidly growing. According to Airbnb data, guest check-ins from January 2023 to December 2023 increased by 28% compared to 2022, with total revenue estimated at J$31.8 billion from 1.3 million guest nights. was created.
“Additionally, the short-term vacation rental subsector continues to expand its market share, with approximately 36 percent of visitors choosing this accommodation category.”
Mr Bartlett said efforts were underway to create more rooms for visitors, but industry workers were not forgotten in these plans. The Ministry welcomes commitments from four major international hotel investors, including RCD Hotels, Bahia Principe, Grand Palladium and Princess Resorts, to collectively build more than 2,000 housing units for industry employees. He said he promised to do so.
This also includes apartments and housing for workers and their immediate families, he said.
Regarding the housing sector, which remains for tourism workers, Mr Bartlett said that through a partnership between the Tourism Enhancement Fund and the New Social Housing Programme, the Government has committed 500 million yen to improve housing conditions for workers in this sector who live in substandard conditions. He said he would allocate J$.
He said the Housing Authority of Jamaica (HAJ) has also embarked on an ambitious initiative to revitalize brownfield sites in collaboration with key stakeholders such as TEF.
During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, HAJ advanced the Grange Pen brownfield development project, focusing on key infrastructure upgrades such as water and wastewater systems and overall residential infrastructure enhancements.
Mr Bartlett said the issuance of 314 title certificates was an important milestone that would give residents much-needed security of land tenure.
“These initiatives highlight the unwavering commitment of the Tourism Enhancement Fund and the Jamaica Housing Authority to improving the living standards of tourism workers, thereby ensuring their well-being and promoting sustainable growth in the tourism industry. “It’s a thing,” he said.
edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com
