Jamaica’s Tourism Arrivals Contract Further in April 2026

  • Jamaica's tourism sector remained depressed in April 2026 as stopover arrivals declined 20.4% year-over-year (YoY) to 198,126 visitors, reflecting the lingering impact of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa. Year-to-date (YTD: January-April), stopover arrivals fell 25.7% to 732,778 visitors compared to 986,392 during the corresponding period in 2025. Data on international terminal passenger traffic at Jamaica's two major airports from Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico, S.A.B. de C.V., showing decreases of 22.0% and 6.0% from Sangster International (SIA) and Norman Manley International (NMIA), respectively, had already foretold the decline.
  • The decline was largely driven by weakness in Jamaica's key source markets. Arrivals from the United States, which accounted for 63.6% of total stopover visitors YTD, fell 23.8% in April and 30.6% for the January-April period. Canada and Europe also recorded YTD contractions of 25.1% and 9.5%, respectively.
  • In contrast, Latin America continued to be a bright spot, with stopover arrivals increasing 32.2% in April and 26.5% YTD, albeit from a small base. Strong monthly growth from countries like Colombia (+174.4%), Argentina (+53.2%), and Mexico (+36.3%) highlighted the region's potential to support diversification of the island’s visitor base.
  • Cruise tourism also marked another bright spot, showing signs of recovery, with 109,577 (+10.6%) passengers visiting the island in April 2026. Falmouth welcomed the largest share of visitors, followed by Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, reflecting the continued normalisation of Jamaica's cruise operations. That said, YTD, cruise arrivals are up modestly by 0.9%.
  • The continued weakness in stopover arrivals likely reflects the slower recovery of the Western corridor of the island, which serves as Jamaica's primary tourism hub. While several properties have resumed operations following Hurricane Melissa, several major hotels in and around Montego Bay remain closed or are operating at reduced capacity, with some not expected to reopen until the second half of 2026[1]. Consequently, accommodation constraints and reduced tourism capacity have continued to weigh on visitor arrivals, even as other resort areas recover more quickly.
  • The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused a sharp rise in energy prices that has led to a surge in airfares and general inflationary pressures across our major source markets, which is weighing on travel demand. The rise in cost of jet fuel has caused airlines worldwide to raise ticket prices and this has been compounded by the bankruptcy of low-cost carrier- Spirit Airlines. Simultaneously, higher inflation is also pressuring real disposable incomes in our main source markets. This combination may encourage travellers to delay vacations, shorten stays, or substitute toward lower-cost destinations. Consequently, tourism demand could remain subdued in the near term, posing an additional headwind to the recovery in stopover arrivals and the broader tourism sector.
  • Looking ahead, the tourism sector is likely to remain depressed in the short term. According to data from GAP, terminal passenger traffic declined by a further 19.1% and 5.2% at SIA and NMIA in May. This has resulted in a total YTD (Jan.-May) decline of 27.3% and 4.1%, respectively. Continued weakness in stopover arrivals will therefore continue to pose headwinds for a rebound in tourism activity and real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2026.

________________________

1According to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, making his contribution to the Sectoral Debate in Parliament on June 23, 2026, Jamaica's tourism sector is expected to recover more than 80% of its hotel room capacity by this summer, as the industry continues its rebound from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

(Sources: JTB, GAP, Travel Pulse & NCBCM Research)