GREEN ISLAND, Hanover — Concerned that rapidly changing airline ticket prices could destabilise the tourism industry, travel consultant and destination wedding specialist Claire Robinson has made an urgent call for synergy between airlines and hotels to address the issue.

“A challenge that we are currently facing is: a client calls, interested in destination wedding, we price the airfare along with the hotel, giving the client even 24 hours to make that decision. By the time they give us a call back the price has significantly changed — not just changed a little bit, but significantly changed,” Robinson told the Jamaica Observer.

Most airlines around the world use some form of dynamic pricing models, meaning ticket prices fluctuate based on real time data such as demand.

Robinson was expanding on views shared Tuesday in a panel discussion during the Love Caribbean: Jamaica Edition 2026 conference held at Princess Grand Jamaica hotel in Green Island, Hanover. With several years of marketing and sales experience in the airline industry, including a stint with the now-defunct Air Jamaica, she currently lives in the USA. Robinson has fond memories of her former years in the airline industry when the introduction of a weekend fare out of Baltimore to Jamaica lasted for an entire season.

“I recognise — having been on both sides of the industry, both as a supplier and now as the owner of a travel agency — that times have changed. There is a significant difference in the cost for the… airlines as it relates to fuel pricing. But the need to do dynamic pricing where every day is a different [rate] is going to hurt our tourism industry as a whole,” she argued.

The Destination Jamaica top 50 travel advisor for nine consecutive years and owner of Claire Skies Travel, stressed the need for action.

“If we don’t have a meeting of the minds of the industry we are going to have a significant challenge moving forward,” warned Robinson.

Asked to comment on the issue, Jamaica’s Deputy Director of Tourism Philip Rose told the Observer that airlines, and especially large resorts, do work together.

“Certainly, the Jamaica Tourist Board brings them to the table at many meetings, many conferences. There’s a lot of planning that goes into airline capacity. There’s a lot of planning that goes into resort expansion. The two work very hand in hand,” assured Rose.

On the issue of pricing, he argued that tourism is just like any other industry which charges what the market can sustain.

“Jamaica has historically been a very popular destination, resorts and airlines are in the business of making money. They’re going to charge based on what the consumers will pay,” stated Rose.

He is of the view that the plummeting of prices — which could result in a discounted brand, should this happen — is a much bigger concern.

“Thankfully, that has not been the case, certainly in my lifetime, and I see no reason why it will become so any time in the future,” stated Rose.

He was also in attendance at the Love Caribbean: Jamaica Edition 2026 conference, which began Monday and ended Thursday. It was the inaugural staging of a premier professional conference for wedding planners, travel advisors, and industry experts focusing on destination weddings and romance travel.

President and founder of the International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals Kitzia Morales speaking with the Jamaica Observer following a panel discussion she participated in during the Love Caribbean: Jamaica Edition 2026 conference held at Princess Grand Jamaica hotel in Green Island, Hanover, on Tuesday.