Big boost for local tourism sector recovering from COVID-19

In recent months, multiple airlines have announced new direct flights connecting Jamaica to cities around the United States, Canada and the Caribbean and this is set to continue into 2023.

Popular Canadian budget airline, Swoop, will once again offer flights from Hamilton, Canada to Montego Bay in 2023.

Executive Managing Director of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. Cole Horncastle, who made the announcement, says “the restart is indicative of the growth ahead for our travel and tourism industry in 2023 and comes just in time for travelers looking for a Caribbean destination this winter”.

He added that “sun-seekers across the region will now have a low-cost option to enjoy the relaxing beaches and exciting attractions that the vibrant city of Montego Bay has to offer”.

Frontier Airlines will debut a seasonal route between Montego Bay and Denver, Colorado in February 2023.

Frontier will be flying the only direct route between the territories.

Daniel Shurz, the airline’s vice president of commercials, said “we’re thrilled to offer direct service from Denver to Montego Bay, one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean”.

He added: “This new service will make getting from Colorado to the tropical paradise of Jamaica fast, convenient and affordable this winter.”

Spirit and Arajet flights to Jamaica

Spirit Airlines has recently established a direct route between Connecticut and Montego Bay. Connecticut holds one of the biggest Jamaican diaspora communities in the world and the fifth-largest population of residents with Jamaican ancestry in the United States.

Jamaica’s Ambassador to Washington Audrey Marks recently expressed glowing reviews about the new flights.

According to her, “it’s a historic occasion for the many Jamaican-Americans in Connecticut, over 60,000. For many years they have been migrating there, from the 1930s/40s from the original farm work programme, and for many years they had to be going through other states to come to Jamaica, or connecting.

This past November, Dominican Republic’s leading airline, Arajet, established a direct route connecting Santo Domingo and Kingston. The new route between neighbors shaves an astounding 19 hours of travel time, resulting in a digestible trip; only 70 minutes.

With same-day round trips and fares under US$300, the governments of both countries are hoping this is the first step in fostering a deeper relationship.

Cheaper travel opportunities for Jamaicans

These new direct flights create cheaper travel opportunities for Jamaicans, both locally and across the diaspora. Also, they open avenues for Jamaica to develop closer relationships with these territories but will reduce the barrier for tourists to visit.

Tourism is Jamaica’s leading industry, especially during the winter seasons, and it is still bouncing back from the lows of the COVID-19-induced lockdowns. The success of these flights should encourage more airlines to offer direct travel to Jamaica, further bolstering the economy, while creating greater ease of international commutes.