Visitors to Jamaica from Panama and Venezuela will now be able to visit the country without a visa, following recent Cabinet approval to waive travel restrictions for those nationals. The waiver will allow for citizens from both countries to travel to Jamaica as tourists for up to 30 days.
This latest ease of travel restrictions for Panamanian and Venezuelan nationals follows a recently issued waiver for Colombian nationals entering Jamaica.
These temporary waivers are a part of Jamaica’s ongoing strategy to attract tourists from South America. The destination is seeking to increase visitor arrivals from emerging markets, such as South America, as well as Russia, India and China.
“This arrangement will certainly enhance our marketing initiative in Panama and Venezuela, bolstering our efforts to increase tourist arrivals from both countries,” said John Lynch, Jamaica’s director of tourism, in a written release. “It will also complement steps we have taken to boost airlift from the region, including the recent service launch by Copa Airlines into Montego Bay from Panama City.”
Last year, Jamaica secured roughly 10,000 new airline seats out of the burgeoning South American travel market, further brightening the prospects for growing arrivals from the region.
In August, the Jamaica Tourist Board and Copa Airlines announced new flight service between Panama City’s Tocumen International Airport and Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay. Copa flights through Panama City into Montego Bay are now available from 58 cities in North, Central, and South America.
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