On Aug. 15, the Jamaica Tourist Board welcomed the arrival of the destination's 1 millionth visitor since the destination reopened its borders on June 15, 2020.
Daynel Williams arrived on JetBlue Flight 1179 from New York and was greeted by minister of tourism Edmund Bartlett, director of tourism Donovan White and other tourism partners.
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"The arrival of our 1 millionth visitor since safely reopening is an exciting milestone in Jamaica's tourism recovery and is a testament to the hard work of our tourism workers and the success of the Jamaica Cares program, which has prioritized the health and safety of Jamaican citizens and visitors," Bartlett said.
The Jamaica Cares program includes extensive health and safety protocols, entry testing, Covid-19 training for hospitality workers and travel authorization for every visitor. Covid-19 compliance also is required for hotels and attractions to ensure the safety of staff and guests.
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"This is the fastest we have achieved 1 million visitors starting from zero arrivals. We are already seeing the signs of recovery, with tourism workers being back on the job and earnings reaching $1.5 billion," the minister said.
Tourism levels for 2023 are currently projected to hit 3.7 million visitors and $3.5 billion in revenue, with 2024 predicted to surpass 2019 levels with 4.2 million visitors and $4 billion in tourism revenue.