Year began with a bang for tourism, says Bartlett
Industry earned US$1.27 billion in first quarter of 2024
THE country earned US$1.27 billion from the tourism industry in the first three months of 2024, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett announced Tuesday.
He said that the year began with a bang with tourism experiencing an unprecedented surge, surpassing all projections outlined in the previous fiscal year.
Bartlett, who was opening the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, noted that the revenue came from 1.34 million visitors to the island between January and March.
“That represents 788,000 stopovers or a 7.4 per cent increase. Cruise has come back — 554,560 cruisers — representing a 16.1 per cent increase over the corresponding three months last year,” he said.
According to Bartlett, for fiscal year 2023/24 US$345.8 million or J$53.6 billion in tourism earnings was expected to flow directly into the Government’s coffers.
He said that these direct government revenues comprised Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) fees which goes straight to the Consolidated Fund – US$59.2 million or J$9.2 billion; departure tax – US$103.5 million or J$16 billion; airport improvement fee – US$29.6 million or J$4.6 billion; airline passenger levy – US$59.2 million or J$9.2 billion; passenger fees and charges – US$71 million or J$11 billion; and guest accommodation room tax – US$23.3 million or J$3.6 billion.
Bartlett said this does not include the “many billions more in general consumption tax (GCT)” because tourism is the most consumption-driven activity on planet Earth”.
“That’s all people do. They travel to consume and at every point of consumption they pay a tax…When we bring 4.2 million tourists we have just added to the market size of Jamaica and the consumption pattern of the tourists is three to five times that of the locals. So, the propensity to consume drives up the consumption and, therefore, the increase in revenue flows,” he said.
In the meantime, Bartlett noted that preliminary gross earnings for this year is US$4.38 billion.
“Even at 9.6 [per cent] ahead of last year, US$4.38 billion is the largest revenue flow from tourism in the history of the tourism industry in Jamaica,” he said.
Bartlett also highlighted earnings from Jamaica’s international airports in Kingston and Montego Bay which saw impressive growth last year, collectively generating revenue of US$200.28 million or J$30 billion.
He said most of these earnings stemmed from MBJ Airports Limited, operator of Sangster International Airport (SIA), which employs approximately 7,000 people.
