KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica is poised to welcome thousands more European visitors in 2025, with new flights from Portugal and Switzerland set to launch in June and November, respectively, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.

The announcement came as Bartlett, along with his Senior Advisor and Strategist Delano Seiveright and Tourism Director Donovan White, attended the 45th International Tourism Fair (FITUR), a leading global travel and tourism tradeshow.

European charter airline World2Fly will commence weekly non-stop charter flights between Lisbon, Portugal and Montego Bay, Jamaica starting in June of this year. World2Fly told Jamaican officials that their Portugal/Jamaica flights are already over 50 per cent sold. The airline is using a new Airbus A350 aircraft with 432 seats.

Meanwhile, Swiss scheduled airline, Edelweiss will double to two flights per week between Zurich, Switzerland and Montego Bay, Jamaica starting in November of this year. Edelweiss is using an Airbus A340 aircraft with 314 seats.

FITUR, which draws tens of thousands of participants and attendees from across the globe, provides a crucial platform for international tourism stakeholders to showcase their offerings, foster new business relationships and explore future opportunities.

Minister Bartlett noted that Jamaica’s participation marks the beginning of the ministry’s strategy for 2025, a year which promises continued growth and innovation in the sector.

With the mantra “Thrive in 2025”, the tourism minister underscored the sector’s ambitious targets of expecting to welcome five million visitors and generate US$5 billion in earnings, further solidifying Jamaica’s position as a top-tier destination in the global tourism landscape.