Expansion of Airlift from Germany and Latin America to Boost Tourism

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says expansion of airlift from the emerging markets of Germany and Latin America is guaranteed to take Jamaica’s tourism to levels never before seen in the entire region.

Mr. Bartlett was speaking at the official welcome reception for the German-based Eurowings and Panama’s Copa Airlines at the Sangster International Airport in St. James on July 18.

The Minister said the importance of airlift can never be overstated, as “we cannot build a viable sector without it”.

“Airlift is critical to our product. It is responsible for the numbers we are now seeing coming out of Germany and also from out of Latin America. Strategic airline partnerships have been a cornerstone of Jamaica’s tourism success,” Mr. Bartlett said.

Mr. Bartlett further noted that the increasing number of visitors who are attracted to the destination, expansion of the tourism sector and linked services, and the increasing importance of tourism to the social and economic development of the island, demand “a reliable air-transport service”.

Eurowings’ once-weekly nonstop service between Munich, Germany, and Montego Bay, arrived in Montego Bay at approximately 1:45 p.m. The return flight departed Montego Bay at 3:15 p.m.

“This additional flight comes just one year after Eurowings launched two scheduled weekly flights between the German city of Cologne/Bonn and Montego Bay,” the Minister noted.

Mr. Bartlett said the pot is now further sweetened with Copa having increased its daily service between Panama City and Montego Bay, bringing to 11 the overall number of flights weekly between both countries.

“Flights arrive in Montego Bay at 11:22 a.m. each morning, with the return flight departing at 12:21 p.m. Prior to this, Copa operated four flights into Montego Bay and the same number into Kingston weekly. But as of today, Copa will move to seven into Montego Bay and the same four into Kingston weekly,” the Minister said.

Mr. Bartlett said Panama City is Copa’s main hub with excellent connections to more than 70 destinations in North, Central and South America.

He added that with the increase in the number of flights, Jamaica will see approximately 960 additional airline seats per week and access to robust Latin American markets, including Chile and Argentina.