KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Tourist Board reported a promising start in tourist arrivals for 2015, with official statistics for the period January to April 2015, indicating a 4.9% increase in stopover arrivals over the same period in 2014.

From January to April 2015, Jamaica welcomed 756,463 visitors – 445,105 of which originated from the U.S.; 184,237 from Canada; and 95,177 from Europe. Jamaica’s tourism sector benefitted from a 9.1% increase in travellers from the U.S. and Europe, while Canada was the only major market that experienced a decline of 5.3% but that comes after years of solid growth. In addition, the cruise industry also received a boost of 654,407 passengers, representing an 11.2% increase.

“Jamaica’s continued success in attracting visitors is not only a testament to the strength of our tourism product, but also the dedication of our local industry partners who collectively work to ensure that travellers have the best experience possible,” said Paul Pennicook, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism.

As Jamaica continues to host record numbers of visitors, the island remains focused on enhancing its tourism infrastructure with new hotels to meet the growing demand. The destination recently expanded its accommodations portfolio with a number of hotels coming on stream including prominent brands such as Hyatt Hotels, Palace Resorts and Marriott Hotels.

For more information about Jamaica, go to visitjamaica.com.