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Sunday, August 25, 2024 Travel and tourism stakeholders are anticipating a dip in tourist arrivals for 2024, but they remain confident that the numbers will still surpass pre-pandemic levels. This year’s performance has been impacted by Hurricane Beryl in July and an earlier travel advisory from the United States. “Beryl didn’t help, and we lost a crucial week during the July 4th holiday.

However, we’ve managed to recover, not quite to the exceptional levels of 2023, but we’re back to our benchmark year of 2019,” said Robin Russell, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association (JHTA) , at the Bank of Jamaica’s quarterly press conference held in Montego Bay, the nation’s tourism hub. Russell noted that the year began under the cloud of a negative travel advisory issued by the U.S.



government, advising its citizens to avoid travel to Jamaica due to safety concerns. This advisory was widely publicized, which contributed to a cautious start to the year. On July 25, the U.

S. State Department updated its advisory to include more details on crime and healthcare, still urging its citizens to “reconsider travel to Jamaica due to crime.” The advisories range from normal travel to avoidance, with Jamaica currently at Level 3, urging caution.

Russell expressed optimism for the remainder of the year, although he acknowledged that it wouldn’t be as strong as 2023. Behind these projections are companies like Playa Resorts and Hotels, which operates five hotels in Jamaica under the Jewel and Hilton brands. Playa has already experienced a 19% revenue decline up to June, with occupancy rates dropping from about 82% to 72%.

The company expects these numbers to weaken further. July saw a decrease in travel through Jamaica’s two main international airports, with a 2% dip in Kingston and nearly 14% in Montego Bay, year on year. The airport operators attributed these declines to Beryl, which led to flight diversions and cancellations, forcing both airports to close temporarily.

Last year, Jamaica welcomed 4.1 million visitors, a 25% increase over 2022. However, the current travel advisory is expected to impact this year’s figures.

Playa President Bruce Wardinski mentioned that efforts are underway to lobby for a revision of the U.S. travel advisory.

He has engaged with the Jamaican ambassador to the U.S., the Jamaica Tourist Board, and Sandals’ executive chairman, Adam Stewart, among others, to address the issue.

Wardinski noted that the situation is challenging but expressed hope for progress, emphasizing that the advisory’s concerns do not affect Jamaica’s main tourist areas, such as Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, and Negril. The U.S.

State Department’s travel advisories are periodically adjusted based on new information, and Jamaica has been at Level 3 since 2022, advising U.S. citizens to reconsider travel.

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