Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has set a goal to attract 500,000 visitors from Canada by 2025. He announced this during a trip to Canada with tourism officials for a five-day marketing campaign in the Greater Toronto Area.
Bartlett aims to reach a larger goal of welcoming 5 million visitors and earning $5 billion in tourism revenue by 2025. Currently, Canada is Jamaica’s third-largest tourism market, with just over 300,000 visitors. Bartlett believes it’s possible to reach half a million Canadian visitors in the next two years based on data and market readiness.
The focus of this initiative is to secure more flights from Canada, with discussions planned with airlines like Air Canada, WestJet, and Canada Jetlines. These efforts stem from recent discussions at the JAPEX trade show in Jamaica.
During his Canada visit, Minister Bartlett will meet with officials at McMaster University and tour the Miss Lou Archives. He also highlighted Canada’s strategic importance in engaging Asian markets like India and China, with plans to address Chinese travel agents at an event organized by Mandarin Holidays.
Bartlett’s agenda includes meetings with Air Canada Vacations, Canada Jetlines, travel agents, and tour operators. He’ll also participate in media interviews to promote Jamaica as a preferred destination for Canadian tourists.
After his visit to Canada, Minister Bartlett will travel to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to participate in World Tourism Day 2023 with global tourism leaders. This year’s theme is “Tourism and Green Investments,” focusing on investing in people, the planet, and prosperity.
Minister Bartlett also mentioned that Tourism Awareness Week 2023 in Jamaica, from September 24 to 30, will follow the same theme and feature various activities, including a Thanksgiving Church Service in St. James on September 24.
