Jamaica Secures Just Over 860,000 Airline Seats For The 2020/21 Winter Tourist Season
By: , December 14, 2020
Photo: Mark Bell
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, speaking during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank on Friday (December 11), ahead of the start of the 2020/21 Winter Tourist Season, on December 15.The Full Story
Jamaica has secured just over 860,000 airline seats for the 2020/21 Winter Tourist Season, which begins December 15.
This was disclosed by Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the Agency’s head office in Kingston, on Friday (December 11).
Mr. Bartlett noted that while the lead-up to the upcoming winter season has been fraught with challenges for country, as it relates to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, “the good news is that our international [airline] partners retained their deep, strong and abiding confidence in Jamaica”.
He pointed out that if the flights to Jamaica average a 40-50 per cent load factor, this could potentially yield approximately 400,000 and 500,000 visitor arrivals over the four-month season, which ends in April.
This, the Minister added “would be a nice beginning to restore the growth levels that the [tourism] industry had over the years”.
Against this background, Mr. Bartlett urged tourism industry stakeholders to maintain the integrity of the established COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols.
He said that as the new season approaches, all entities within the sector will be revisited by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) to ensure compliance.
“We are going to recheck everybody to revalidate the whole COVID compliance arrangement that we have put in place. Vigilance is the name of the game, eternal vigilance is what’s going to help to keep and save us from this virus overwhelming us,” Minister Bartlett said.