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| Bob Marley Museum in Kingston |
The Jamaica Tourist Board announced a promising start in tourist arrivals for 2015, with official statistics for the period January to April 2015, indicating a 4.9 percent increase in stopover arrivals over the same period in 2014.
From January to April 2015, Jamaica welcomed 756,463 visitors – 445,105 of which originated from the United States; 184,237 from Canada; and 95,177 from Europe. Jamaica’s tourism sector benefitted from a 9.1 percent increase in travellers from the U.S. and Europe, while Canada was the only major market that experienced a decline of 5.3 percent. In addition, the cruise industry also received a boost of 654,407 passengers, representing an 11.2 percent increase.
“Jamaica’s continued success in attracting visitors is not only a testament to the strength of our tourism product, but also the dedication of our local industry partners who collectively work to ensure that travelers have the best experience possible,” said Paul Pennicook, Jamaica’s director of tourism, in a written release. “We had a favorable winter tourist season, and are looking forward to welcoming visitors during the summer months to enjoy an array of cultural events, our cuisine, our beaches and the hospitality of our people.”
As Jamaica continues to host record numbers of visitors, the island remains focused on enhancing its tourism infrastructure with new hotels to meet the growing demand. The destination recently expanded its accommodations portfolio with a number of hotels coming on stream including prominent brands such as Hyatt Hotels, Palace Resorts and Marriott Hotels.
Visit www.visitjamaica.com