ST JAMES, Jamaica – Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says salaries in the sector have risen by at least 20 per cent since the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Since COVID, even the salaries paid throughout the sector have had a at least 20 per cent increase at every level. And when I speak in the budget, I’ll have some better numbers on that too. Because we are going to consult with the trade and industry for you, to tell us that it is true that some of our ordinary workers, who in the past would be taking home $25,000 and $30,000 a fortnight, are now taking home $80,000 and $90,000 a forthright; because when the industry grows, everybody gets a chance to grow,” Bartlett stated.

The comments were made on Thursday when he delivered the keynote address at the Tourism Enhancement Fund”s -(TEF) Speed Networking event, held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.

The tourism minister also highlighted that the island welcomed over half a million stopover passengers since the start of the year.

“…Just to let you know that we have already surpassed 500,000 stopover arrivals for the year so far,” he disclosed.

“And that means we are closing in on US$1.5 billion for the winter season. We had predicted US$1.3 billion, but we’ll talk more about that on the 18th [of March],” he added, referring to the date when he is scheduled to make his budget presentation.