Jamaica wants to become the Caribbean’s gateway to the Gulf, with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett revealing fresh talks with Qatar and Etihad as the island seeks to build stronger air links with the Middle East.

Bartlett said the wider goal is to position Jamaica as a hub connecting Gulf gateways with the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Speaking virtually from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, during the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2026 media breakfast being held at Moon Palace in Ocho Rios on Tuesday, Bartlett said he held discussions with representatives of Qatar and Etihad earlier on Tuesday as Jamaica seeks to make the Caribbean a greater priority for Gulf-based aviation.

He said the strategy is not simply about bringing more visitors from the Middle East to Jamaica, but using the island’s location to create connections between the Gulf and markets across the Americas.

“We’ve been having discussions on stronger air connectivity with a particular team here in the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] area that is designed primarily for air connectivity across the world. The Caribbean is not one of the areas that was top priority but now we’re making it so and we’re positioning Jamaica to be the hub for the GCC gateways coming through the Caribbean,” he explained.

He said Emirates already has a pathway into Jamaica through its partnership with German carrier Condor, allowing travellers from the Gulf to connect to Montego Bay through Frankfurt.

Emirates’ own website confirms that its codeshare partnership with Condor includes Frankfurt–Montego Bay services, giving customers access to Jamaica beyond Emirates’ own network.

However, the push comes as Jamaica continues to rebuild its tourism sector following Hurricane Melissa while simultaneously planning substantial growth in hotel capacity.

Bartlett told the media breakfast that Jamaica has between 15,000 and 20,000 new hotel rooms in the pipeline over the next decade, with nearly 5,000 already under construction.

The Government’s challenge, therefore, is to ensure that increased room capacity is matched by sufficient airlift.

Earlier this year, Bartlett said expanded air connectivity was central to Jamaica’s tourism recovery, pointing to increased service from Latin America and Europe as well as new routes from several airlines.

That expansion is continuing, with Jamaica also preparing to host the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s Air Connectivity Summit in Kingston on February 23, 2027. The summit is intended to bring together airlines, governments and tourism stakeholders to discuss the future of regional air connectivity.