Tourism Continues to Be Main Catalyst for Economic Growth  

• Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says the tourism sector has grown by 36% over the past 30 years, against a total economic growth of 10%. He noted that the sector is the single largest contributor to Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP), as well as a main source of foreign revenues.
• Tourism is multidimensional and multifaceted, interfacing with nearly every economic sector, including agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, finance, the creative and cultural industries, construction, and many other services. The tourism sector drives 15% of construction, 10% of banking and finance, 20% of manufacturing, and 21% of utilities, agriculture, and fisheries.
• Speaking at a Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS) consultation meeting at the Negril Community Centre, Norman Manley Boulevard, Westmoreland on March 23, Mr. Bartlett also pointed to the quick recovery of the tourism sector, following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that 2022, was a record year.
• Closing 2022 with some 3.3Mn visitors and earnings of US$3.6Bn, 2023 is shaping up to be another record year with stopover arrivals for the first ten weeks at 558,119, a 55.6% increase over the same period last year. The Minister stressed the importance of keeping the sector on a growth trajectory, noting that as it grows, more Jamaicans will benefit from “this larger tourism pie”.
• Given linkages to other sectors, tourism growth will have a magnified effect on the wider economy. As tourism continues to grow, other sectors will benefit directly or indirectly, thus resulting in stronger economic growth in years to come.

(Source: JIS News)