KINGSTON, Jamaica — From July 4 to 10, Jamaica welcomed 55,000 visitors to the island, indicating a recovery of the industry post Hurricane Beryl.

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett made the disclosure during his address at the opening ceremony of the Christmas in July trade show on July 11.

The trade show, which is now in its 10th year, is being held from July 11 to 12 at the National Arena. A total of 205 artisans are participating in this year’s staging.

Bartlett said that for July 2 and 3 there were no arrivals to the island. He said the island started receiving visitors again on July 4. That number increased over a six-day period.

“That is what resilience is about where you can say… 80 per cent of our resources is intact, so you can come, and they came because they have confidence in the promise that we make, because of the integrity of that promise,” he said.

The minister noted that the sustainability plan for the industry is predicated on several key strategies of training and development, upskilling, and broadening the scope of the production of authentic Jamaican goods and services, expanded credit and debt arrangements, and marketing and networking of entrepreneurs operating within the sector.

Bartlett added that Jamaica’s long history of attracting record numbers of visitors to the island goes beyond its natural resources and noted that the artisanal community is a valuable part of the island’s tourism product.

He emphasised that small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism ecosystem are critical drivers of the future of the industry, and commended event organisers, the Tourism Linkages Network, for the initiative.

“I want to thank all of you for the work that you have done with us in 10 years to make Christmas in July the exciting and expanded opportunity that is now here for our small and medium enterprises,” he said.

Christmas in July is a collaborative effort of the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), and its partners, the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) and the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA).

— JIS