For key Carnival in Jamaica stakeholders, the proverbial writing was on the wall.

Long before revellers danced along St Andrew’s streets, organisers predicted an active season and preliminary data indicates they achieved just that with statistics from the Carnival in Jamaica team, showing that 9,571 visitors arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport between April 22 and 27.

That figure represents a 20 per cent increase in the number of tourists visiting the island over the similar period in 2024.

In an interview with the Jamaica Observer, executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund Dr Carey Wallace said Carnival’s impact was evident as hotels and AirBnBs in the Corporate Area were full to capacity, so much so that the spill-off had to be picked up by hotels in other parishes.

Robin Russell, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), in a recent Observer article shared that the Carnival effect is not limited to the Corporate Area.

He expressed that with a spike in visitors last week alone, everything in Kingston was fully booked and “people are staying as far as Ocho Rios and coming over”.

“All the traditional hotels are full. I’m getting reports that all the homestay rooms have also been taken up,” he shared.

That perspective was further echoed by Christopher Jarrett, chairman of the JHTA Kingston Chapter and managing director of Altamont Court Hotel, who confirmed that local hotels were operating at full capacity for Carnival.

“The fact that all AirBnBs in Kingston and all hotels were booked out and we had to go into other parishes means the pace of growth of Carnival bodes well for the country’s growth and the development of the entertainment and tourism sectors,” Wallace further shared.

“We will just keep growing and the kind of impact that will have on local producers will be immense. This is a gift that we have given to the planet and everyone is having a great time. Carnival is the single event that brings the largest number of visitors to Jamaica and that’s an opportunity for growth.”

Dr Wallace went on to say that with the other islands offering Carnival being smaller in size, Jamaica has the infrastructure needed to facilitate the growth of Carnival in the region.

“When we talk about the other islands, Barbados and Trinidad, and so on, we have to recognise that Jamaica is a lot more developed and sophisticated and larger in mass. I mean Barbados can fit into Westmoreland three times and that’s just one of our parishes. That means we have to start thinking even bigger as a country where Carnival is concerned.”

He went on to share that while other countries across the region also serve up an impressive Carnival experience, Jamaica’s entertainment package makes the island’s fete experience unique.

“Jamaica has so many of the ingredients that would make its Carnival a one-of-a-kind of experience that is memorable for any visitor that comes to Jamaica. We have the beaches, the weather, the vibe, the energy, the music, the rum; you name it, we have it. And so putting them all together, we’ve created an iconic event that gives people from other countries more and more reasons to come here.”

Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange agreed. Pointing out that Sunday’s street parade meant a lot to more than just the masqueraders, the minister said Carnival has turned into an income-earner for many individuals.

“Every year Carnival gets bigger and better and it’s just such a nice vibe. There is no carnival like Carnival in Jamaica because we bring our own style, our own swag, our own vibe to it,” Grange said. “But more than that, Carnival has created an economy on its own because people from all strata, all levels, are able to experience and benefit. Right down to the peanut man, the hairstylists, the dressmakers, even people who do parking, everybody hustles and everybody benefits.”

Olivia “Babsy” Grange (left), minister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport, speaks with Carolyn McDonald Riley, director, Tourism Linkages Network, Tourism Enhancement Fund, during Carnival in Jamaica Road March on Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)