LONDON — Already one of the most popular islands in the Caribbean, Jamaica is about to get even more visitors thanks to a potential new resort development.

At the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, international hotel group Lopesan – with 17,000+ hotel rooms across Europe, Asia and the Caribbean – connected with Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and his team to announce interest in developing a new 1,000-room luxury resort.

Bartlett was joined by the Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), John Lynch and Senior Advisor and Strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright. Lopesan’s team was led by CEO Francisco Lopez and Director General of the Hotel Division, Jose Alba.

Lopesan Hotel Group is so far more of a force in Spain’s Canary Islands, with close to a dozen hotels on Gran Canaria, and two on Fuerteventura. The company also has properties in Thailand, Germany and Austria. In the Caribbean, Lopesan has one property in the D.R.: Lopesan Costa Bavaro Resort, Spa & Casino.

In a Travelweek interview earlier this fall, Minister Bartlett confirmed that 20,000 new hotel rooms are being added to Jamaica’s pipeline in the next 10 years, 2,000 of which are coming next year.

To entice repeat visitors who’ve already seen it all in Jamaica, Minister Bartlett told Travelweek the destination is developing two new tourist areas, one on the southeastern end of the country and the other in the southwest.

The official opening of the recently renovated US$30 million Royalton White Sands resort in Trelawny is set to take place next month. The sector is also preparing for the openings of two major resorts before summer next year – the first phase 1,000 rooms of the new Princess Resort in Hanover and the 753-room new RIU Palace Aquarelle resort in Trelawny.

Minister Bartlett confirmed his goals for the Canadian market in his interview with Travelweek: 500,000 Canadian visitors by 2025

“Canada is growing and is a strong, good product,” the Minister told Travelweek. “The growth from the Canadian market has been promising and response from Canada has been particularly good in the post-COVID era. While 500,000 Canadians by 2025 is within sight, my final ambition is to welcome one million Canadians by 2030.”

(Main pic above) Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (centre) greets the Chief Executive Officer of Lopesan Group, Francisco Lopez (third from right, with other Lopesan and investment executives) at the World Travel Market in London.