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Jamaica: The Right Place to Visit and do Business Within the Caribbean

The 'heartbeat of the world' excites and enthrals overseas visitors of all ages

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Known as the 'land of wood and water: Jamaica's rich tourism offerings include an array of white-sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, tropical green­ery and very hospitable people. The island's colourful history and natu­ral beauty make it an ideal destina­tion for travellers seeking unforget­table adventures.

Such is Jamaica's robust appeal, visitor numbers to the island have rebounded strongly since the gov­ernment introduced a series of Covid-19 safety and testing pro­tocols that set the benchmark for other tourism-dependent nations to target. The results have certainly been remarkable, with more than 1.5 million people visiting Jamaica in 2021, a significant total that gen­erated an impressive $2 billion in revenue.

While many visitors opt to spend time relaxing by the sea or pools, for the more adventurous, Jamai­ca's beautiful landscapes provide the platform for thrill-seekers to enjoy a variety of adrenaline boost­ing experiences, from river rafting down the Rio Grande, to hiking in the Blue Mountains, to zip lining through lush tree canopy.

"Tourism is the lifeblood of Ja­maica's economy as the sector com­prises a crucial part of our national development and economic strate­gy;' states Donovan White, director of tourism at the award-winning Jamaica Tourist Board.

"Jamaica offers very unique and top-of-the-line travel experiences, with world-renowned resorts as well as diverse attractions, riveting music and a cuisine that caters to international travellers from across the globe. Jamaica's menu of op­tions provides unmatched holiday offerings that cater to discerning travellers from the Gulf and other Arab and Middle Eastern coun­tries;' he continues.

"We bring to the table a good product line for families as well as adventure seekers and people who have interests in areas such as mu sic, food, culture or our natural as­sets like beaches, flora and fauna. We are ready to welcome our guests from the Middle East and hope this will create a unique cultural exchange between Jamaica and the regions:'

During a visit to the Gulf in 2021, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bart­lett held high-level talks with key players in the cruise and aviation sectors. The dynamic politician participated in critical discussions with executives of maritime ser­vices provider DP World, as well as senior officials from leading airline Emirates regarding the potential creation of the inaugural Dubai to Kingston route.

"The UAE represents the next critical partner in Jamaica's tourism matrix and we thought that it was time that Gulf airlines started flying into the Caribbean region - that is a major objective for us;' says Bart­lett.

"Jamaica would be positioned as the region's hub, so arrivals could come into our Sangster Interna­tional Airport in Montego Bay and then could be transferred to oth er destinations in the Caribbean, South America and even North America:'

Bartlett is also eager to explore a wider range of mutually beneficial financial and investment partner­ships as Jamaica looks to construct a string of 'mega investments and mega partnerships' to build much of the infrastructure required to boost the country's tourist indus­try and national economic perfor­mance.

"The capital markets in our re­gion are limited in terms of their ability to drive that type of invest­ment:' he explains. "Engaging with Gulf partners would enable us to have that sort of capital injection into the region. This could be a great gamechanger:'