... But Bartlett takes flight

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett left the island on Friday for a five-city tour of Canada aimed at wooing more Canadian visitors to Jamaica in the upcoming winter tourism season.

Bartlett will visit Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Montreal as he targets some 400,000 Canadian airline seats for the 2026-2027 winter tourism season.

He is being accompanied by Director of Tourism Donavan White and representatives of the Jamaica Tourist Board.

Bartlett’s trip comes as Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness this week ordered a ban on overseas travel for ministers and other public officials. Tourism promotion was one of the few areas of exemption.

During his five-city swing, Bartlett will meet with travel advisors, media organisations, and tour operators in seeking to convert expanded airlift into visitor arrivals and economic recovery following Hurricane Melissa.

Jamaica is among several Caribbean destinations that is competing for increased Canadian visitors, especially in light of a significant downturn in Canadian visitors going to the United States.

According to reports, Bartlett has set a target of welcoming some 600,000 Canadian visitors annually, generating some US$ 750-million in tourism earnings by 2030.

Jamaica is projecting a 62 per cent increase in airline seat capacity out of Canada through 2027.

editorial@gleanerjm.com