KINGSTON, Jamaica — Signalling a growth spurt in the Canadian tourism market for Jamaica, major Canadian tour operator Sunwing on Tuesday launched its first non-stop, once weekly flight between Canada’s third largest city, Vancouver, and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Sunwing flight number 204 touched down at Montego Bay’s Sangster International Airport at 3:43 pm after a near seven-hour flight from Vancouver.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett noted that the flight reconfirms the strengthening of the Canadian market which dropped in 2015.

“A lot of work went into turning the Canadian market around and this would not have been possible without prominent partners. Jamaica has 40,000 additional airline seats committed for winter from Canada, with Sunwing confirming that they will operate over 100,000 airline seats for the season. This is big!” Bartlett remarked.

Sunwing already offers vacation packages from Vancouver to Jamaica. However, this winter will be the first time that the island has been accessible via a direct flight service that will operate weekly up to April 2018.

“We have been offering vacation packages from Vancouver to Montego Bay for three years and are certain that the introduction of a direct flight service will be well received by vacationers in search of a tropical escape this winter,” said Sunwing’s president of tour operations Andrew Dawson.

Senior advisor and strategist in the Tourism Ministry, Delano Seiveright, said that in December 2016 there was a signing ceremony for an air services agreement between Jamaica and Canada to create an environment for more airlift and to help stoke an increase in visitor arrivals.

“Following the intervention of 2016, the Canadian market has started to recover with the January to October period recording an increase of 8.2 per cent over the same period last year. And for the month of November alone, we are up 12.5 per cent,” Seiveright noted.

All Sunwing packages include return flights on Sunwing Airlines where passengers enjoy inflight service that includes a sparkling wine toast, complimentary non-alcoholic beverage service, and buy on board selection of light meals and snacks, including menu choices inspired by Food Network Canada celebrity chef Lynn Crawford. Passengers also benefit from a generous complimentary 23kg checked luggage allowance.

Horace Hines