Plans to capitalise on airline’s networks in the Caribbean, LatAm

Following fruitful discussions with senior executives of Emirates Airline, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says plans are underway to leverage the airline’s routes and networks into the Caribbean and Latin America.

Emirates Airline, based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is one of the world’s largest airlines that connects its customers to a network of over 150 destinations.

The airline’s current flights to Miami and new flights slated for Bogotá, Columbia, are critical to better integrating Jamaica and the Caribbean into its network. Minister Bartlett also has a medium-term vision of securing firmer arrangements in the Caribbean with the airline in the form of a hub creation.

“This is a further step [in] increasing the connectivity between Emirates and the Caribbean as the airline looks to deepen its presence in the region. In the medium term, through a hub and spoke arrangement, there can be a fruitful partnership that would see more visitors from the Middle East visiting Jamaica and the Caribbean and vice versa,” he said. 

Through strong code-sharing partnerships with other airlines like Avianca, Copa and Caribbean airlines, Emirates would have several options of increasing its footprints in the region.

“The time is right for us to tap into the regional partnerships being created through Emirates, and Jamaica is ready to be inserted within the future logistics of the airline to get more from the Middle Eastern market. This would be a game changer for the destination,” Bartlett shared.

Jamaica welcomed over 1,200 visitors from the Middle East last year as the island continued its post-pandemic recovery and growth. The Emirates partnership will play a critical role in enabling mass visitors from the Middle East to come to the island.

Discussions on this possible partnership were held during the Arabian Travel Market, the leading global event for the inbound and outbound travel industry in the Middle East, held May 6 – 9 in Dubai.