KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett today announced that weekly charter flights between Spain, Portugal and Jamaica will begin in June of this year.

According to a release from the ministry, Bartlett is currently on a visit to Germany to participate in the largest tourism tradeshow in the world, ITB Berlin, the International Hotel Investment Forum, among other engagements with investors and tourism interests.

Spain and Portugal will have charters operated and sold by the Barcelo Group under their tour operator brands, Bartlett said.

“The Portugal flights will be operated by Orbest from June 9 to September 29 and goes out of their capital city Lisbon, with an Airbus 330 aircraft that seats 388 passengers. The flight will make a stop in the Dominican Republic before continuing on to Montego Bay and vice versa. Meanwhile, the Spain flights will be operated by Evelop non-stop out of their capital city, Madrid into Montego Bay from June 4 to October 28 with an Airbus 330,” Bartlett stated.

Bartlett indicated that the flights out of Portugal and Spain are critical to the continued diversification of Jamaica’s tourism sector and is in line with deliberate and concerted efforts to gain a stronger foothold into the European markets.

Meanwhile, Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook noted that both new charters will be operated by planes owned by the Barcelo Group one of the leading and vertically integrated tour companies, headquarted in Spain.

“They have already started promoting the Jamaica programme covering familiar properties in this first phase such as all AM Resort properties, Riu and Iberostar. A minimal number of seats will sold by Sol Tour on both flights, which will probably amount to 50 seats on the Portuguese flight and 88 on the Spanish flight,” said Pennicook.

Both Bartlett and Pennicook were joined in Germany by Senior Advisor and Senior Communications Strategist Delano Seiveright and Deputy Director of Tourism – Marketing, Marcia McLaughlin.