Exceeding Expectations

If you were wondering why Donovan White was smiling during his recent mid-June visit to Canada, wonder no longer.

The Jamaica Tourist Board’s director of tourism was well pleased by the rebound of the Canadian market to the popular Caribbean destination during the first quarter of 2023.

White told Travel Courier that to the end of March, Jamaica had welcomed 177,000 Canadian visitors, almost doubling the 95,000 Canadians it had received during the same period in 2022.

That huge, first quarter upswing sees Canada accounting for a 15% market share of Jamaica’s visitors, which is about what it accounted for pre-pandemic.

And Canada’s performance for Jamaica is all the more remarkable considering that it was slow to reopen or, perhaps more accurately, it reopened in fits and starts.

Looking ahead to the summer (May to August), White reports that there are 136,000 air seats committed to Jamaica, which is a significant increase over the 76,000 that were committed for the same time in 2022.

For the full story, check out the latest issue of TRAVEL COURIER.