ST JAMES, Jamaica— Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has hailed the upcoming launch of Emirates Airline’s service between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jamaica, via Germany, as a “transformative milestone” for the country’s tourism and economic sectors.

Emirates has applied for a licence to operate a weekly scheduled flight service from Dubai to Montego Bay, with a stop in Frankfurt, Germany.

The service is expected to commence on April 10, 2025, and run until December 26, 2026.

The Frankfurt to Montego Bay leg will be operated by Condor Flugdienst under a codeshare agreement.

Bartlett emphasised the significance of this development, describing it as a major breakthrough for Jamaica’s global tourism footprint.

“The commencement of this flight in April is a signatory achievement and it makes the point that Jamaica continues to expand its marketing footprints across the global space,” he told Observer Online.

“This indeed is a major mega achievement for Jamaica’s tourism,” he stressed.

The minister highlighted the broader economic impact, noting that Emirates’ presence in Jamaica could drive a range of business opportunities across the region.

“Now we can talk about hubbing for the Caribbean, now we can talk about multi-destination tourism in a big way; and now we can certainly talk about how the supply side of tourism can be strengthened because Emirates flying to Jamaica will open up other opportunities for trade, for agricultural and manufactured goods to enter into the markets in the Middle East and elsewhere,” he explained.

Bartlett stressed that the benefits extend beyond tourism, providing opportunities for Jamaican manufacturers, agricultural producers, and entertainers to access new markets.

The minister credited years of strategic discussions for the achievement, recalling talks with Emirates executives dating back to 2021.

“It began with the wider concept of opening the markets of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries, the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) area and of course India through the Dubai gateway,” he said.

“As early as 2021, I met with the chairman of Emirates, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, and his team, along with my team, and we started working with the NATA (North Atlantic Tourism Association) and other travel partners in the area to build out an arrangement that would allow for Emirates to fly to Jamaica as the opening up of the Caribbean link with the richest market of the world today,” he added.

Bartlett expressed gratitude to his team, including Donovan White, Delano Seiveright, and John Lynch, for their efforts in bringing the plan to fruition and ensuring the long-term success of Jamaica’s tourism sector.

Emirates, one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, is based in Dubai and operates a network spanning over 150 destinations.