Jamaica eyes African countries as latest tourist markets

Jamaica’s tourism minister believes more African travelers will visit Jamaica following exploratory talks with investors from various African countries.

In his statement at the recently concluded African Tourism Summit in Cape Town, South Africa, Edmund Bartlett explained that a partnership with African tourism stakeholders can drive economic development for Jamaica and the wider Caribbean and Latin American markets.

“Opportunities abound for investment in Jamaica’s tourism industry, so we welcome this interest from South Africa. South African Airlines, Africa’s leading airline, is currently focused on continental Africa. 

However, post-COVID, the airline intends to re-enter the US and UK markets. 

With our airline partner, Delta, flying directly into Cape Town, both airlines can codeshare to facilitate the movement of traffic from South Africa through Atlanta to Kingston and Montego Bay,” Bartlett said.

The tourism minister notes that he has initiated discussions with African air carriers for establishing a regular flight service between Africa and Jamaica.

Bartlett also said Jamaica is prepared to entertain conversations with African tour operators and travel agents to direct the African tourism market to the Caribbean as early as this year.

On a global scale, the African tourism market is said to be among the largest with a record of 1.3 billion travelers who traditionally choose to vacation in North America and Europe.

Talks to strengthen Jamaica’s relationship with Africa resumed earlier this year with the staging of the Global Tourism Resilience Conference in February.

One of the takeaways from the conference was the launch of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre currently headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica.

An agreement was made to increase the presence of this international body in Africa. There is a center in Kenya, and there are plans for centers to be built in Botswana and Nigeria.