The Jamaica Tourism Industry is rising fast as the island witnesses a strong third and fourth quarter. Jamaica is nearing 2.5 million total visitors for 2024, when considering both stopover and cruise arrivals. It’s a record-breaking total for the island, part of a broader plan to reach 5 million total visitors by next year.
The island was trending very strongly in June, too – with tickets for international arrivals up 5 percent in the second half of June. Post-Beryl, Jamaica has recently seen a swift recovery to 2023 levels, suggesting the initial hurricane impact was short-lived.
To drive more tourism to the island, a hotel boom is underway in Jamaica. In an update on the pipeline for new hotels, the Government of Jamaica has announced new hotel projects worth of US$ 2.5 billion will be executed in the coming years. The island’s room count will increase by 2,000 rooms this year and by 20,000 in five to 10 years. This transformation of the hotel industry of Jamaica will boost the Jamaican tourism industry and will also create more job opportunities for the local people.
The upcoming properties include: Amaterra Resort development at Stewart Castle, Trelawny; Palm Beach Villas; Hardrock Hotel & Casino; Princess Resort; Sandals Dunn’s River Golf Resort & Spa; Viva Wyndham; Secrets Resorts; RIU; Harmonisation; Villa Janus and UNICO 18°77° Hotel Montego Bay. Just outside of the Rose Hall Corridor, in Montego Bay, the luxury residential resort Pinnacle, which will comprise four 28-story towers – one a dedicated hotel, is expected to open in 2028. Recent openings include 352-room Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters and the 753-room Riu Palace Aquarelle, in Trelawney Parish, opened in May.
And it’s not all about newbuilds. The Grand Palladium Jamaica Resort and Spa is slated to add 900 rooms to its existing inventory of 1,040, as well as a conference center. The Holiday Inn Montego Bay, which was recently acquired by Spanish-owned Catalonia Resorts and Hotels, will add 250 units to its current inventory of 510 as the brand makes its debut in Jamaica.
 |
|
Dunn’s River Falls |
Jamaica is also aiming at providing the tourists and authentic rustic Jamaican experience. Dunn’s River Falls and Park, Ocho Rios, is set to add a two-storey restaurant and a bar that seats over 150 persons. The restaurant will overlook the cascading falls and will give prime view of the falls, to further enhance guests’ experience. The objective for the development of a new restaurant and bar is to allow the world-renowned attraction to improve its offerings to cater to the fulsome needs of the growing culinary tourism market.
