KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett is eyeing the Asian-Canadian Diaspora as part of his strategy to attract half a million visitors from that market by 2025.

Canada has approximately 1.4 million Asians living in the country.

Speaking at the Mandarin Holidays/Sunbook Gala event in Toronto recently, Minister Bartlett acknowledged the historical connection between Jamaica and Asian Canadians.

“Jamaica shares a long history with the Asian community which has impacted our culture as a people. We are a country that is ‘out of many, one’ and these influences have made our culture dynamic and infectious. It is only fitting that as we embark on this aggressive move to attract more visitors from our second largest source market, we target this group that connects with Jamaica in so many ways,” said Minister Bartlett.

On September 19, Bartlett described the target of 500,000 Canadian visitors to Jamaica in the next two year as an “ambitious but achievable” target.

“We have an overarching goal to welcome 5 million visitors and earn 5 billion dollars in tourism revenue by 2025. Canada is our third largest market and we are currently at just above the 300,000 mark and getting to where we were in 2010 when we had up to 400,000 visitors coming from Canada. My projections are driven by data, and I have evidence now that the Canadian market is ready to take us to half a million visitors within the next two years,” Minister Bartlett expressed.

“This initiative is about that – getting more airlift. We’re going to be talking with Air Canada, WestJet, Canada Jetlines, our new partners, and others to bolster the airlift out of Canada,” asserted the tourism minister.

He noted that this follows discussions held with Canadian travel partners at the just concluded JAPEX (Jamaica Product Exchange) trade show held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre from September 11 to 13.

READ: Bartlett targeting half a million visitors from Canada by 2025

The Mandarin Holidays/Sunbook gala event hosted over 200 travel agents, tour operators, airline representatives, media and tourism industry partners to thank them for their support to destination Jamaica over the years.

With a fully decked-out Jamaica theme that encouraged everyone to ‘Come Back’ to their best selves, the evening had a live band, panel discussions and giveaways.

“Jamaica’s music and cuisine are two things that immediately resonate with the Asian Canadian Diaspora, and we want to build out those experiences among others to attract more of them to come to our island,” said Bartlett.

“We are ready to host more visitors from the Asian Canadian Diaspora to share our authentic culture and top-class hospitality,” noted Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Jamaica.

Angella Bennett, regional director, Canada added: “Canada represents major potential to attract larger numbers of visitors to Jamaica and tapping into this market segment will help us to achieve that.”

The Minister of Tourism and senior tourism officials were in Canada as part of a winter marketing blitz to meet with key tourism partners in the market.