KINGSTON — Jamaica is seeing booming business for groups, according to the latest reports from the Jamaica Tourist Board.
The groups market has been a major contributing factor to the destination’s strong tourism recovery overall, which has seen record-breaking spend and arrivals.
Says Donovan White, Director of Tourism for the Jamaica Tourist Board: “While all destinations across the world have experienced challenges as a result of the pandemic, we in Jamaica are deeply grateful for the success we have had and I am extremely optimistic about the future of Jamaica’s tourism industry. Positive developments include new service from key markets by our airline partners and planned investments in our destination remaining on track, so there has never been a better time to hold meetings and events in Jamaica.”
Jamaica took part in global meetings and events expo IMEX America this year, held this week at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Regarding groups specifically, John Woolcock, Manager, Groups & Conventions, Jamaica Tourist Board, added: “Meeting planners and attendees can feel very secure about looking to Jamaica for their upcoming events. Since reopening in June 2020, we’ve hosted multiple large-scale, prestigious industry events on island to much acclaim and with no resultant outbreaks of COVID.”
Travelling to Jamaica has gotten easier with the island removing all COVID-related entry requirements as of April 2022.
In terms of accommodation, some 8,000 new rooms are scheduled to be constructed within the next two to five years. These include a 2,000-room Princess Hotel, the 260-room Sandals Dunn’s River resort and a third RIU hotel with 700 rooms, all providing additional meeting space.
Meanwhile groundbreaking is being planned for the 2,000-room Hard Rock Hotel along with several other properties and the renovations at Couples San Souci are on track for completion by December 2023.
In the capitol city of Kingston, a multi-billion dollar four-year redevelopment is underway at the Jamaica Conference Centre. Its lobby renovation is slated to be complete in December 2022, the first milestone in the project.
Set adjacent to the Conference Centre, the 168-room ROK Hotel Kingston, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton property, opened in July 2022 featuring six meeting rooms and spacious public areas for events.
Jamaica has also been investing billions of dollars updating the country’s relevant infrastructure. Major projects planned or currently underway include the development of beach facilities, building and upgrading of piers, regeneration of heritage sites and the construction of a national highway network.
This past summer Jamaica served as the host destination for the International Board of Directors Meeting of the Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Global. President, SITE 2022 and Vice President, AIC Hotel Group, Kevin Edmunds, said: “With its easy access, great infrastructure and undoubted all-round destination appeal, Jamaica is the perfect destination to deliver high levels of motivation and energy.”
As of Sept. 30, 2022 Jamaica has reported tourism earnings of US$5.7 billion from over five million air stopover and cruise visitors since reopening its borders in June 2020.
More information about group travel and the MICE market in Jamaica is at https://www.visitjamaica.com/groups/.
