Jamaica to get thousands of European visitors this year
Published:Monday | February 3, 2025 | 4:41 PMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
MADRID, Spain:
Jamaica is set to welcome thousands of European visitors in 2025, with new commitments from Switzerland’s Edelweiss, Portugal’s World2Fly, and Germany’s TUI Group, says Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.
The minister and his team have been securing new gateways and additional flights, with some routes launching as early as June 2025.
These announcements were made at the 45th International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, Spain, where Bartlett, Senior Adviser and Strategist Delano Seiveright, and Director of Tourism Donovan White engaged with global tourism stakeholders. FITUR is a major event attracting tourism professionals worldwide.
World2Fly will begin weekly non-stop flights from Lisbon, Portugal, to Montego Bay, starting June, with over 50 per cent of seats already sold. The airline will operate using a new Airbus A350 with 432 seats.
Edelweiss, a Swiss leisure and charter airline, will increase its flights from Zurich, Switzerland, to Montego Bay to two per week, starting in November, using an Airbus A340 with 314 seats. Edelweiss is the sister company of Swiss International Air Lines and a subsidiary of Germany’s Lufthansa Group.
Bartlett noted that Jamaica’s participation at FITUR marks the beginning of the ministry’s strategy for 2025. With the mantra ‘Thrive in 2025’, he said Jamaica is aiming to attract five million visitors and generate US$5 billion in earnings this year, reinforcing the country’s position as a leading global destination.
TUI Group also announced plans for expanded flight operations from Italy and Spain, with a focus on the Caribbean and Jamaica. This deal was made in a meeting with TUI executives, including CEO Sebastian Ebel. TUI Group, a major player in global tourism, operates several travel agencies, hotel chains, cruise lines, and five European airlines.
“An expansion of flights out of Europe and more investment in the island from this longstanding partner augur well for Jamaica as we will be able to leverage this to increase arrivals and earnings for our economy,” said Bartlett.
The move stems from the group’s hotel expansion plans in Jamaica, with St Thomas positioned as the ideal location to support this, while ensuring sustainable tourism practices.
“With the global tourism industry experiencing several disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the lack of planes and equipment, the time is right for this type of expansion as the world welcomes post-COVID travel. This also reconfirms the confidence our longstanding partner has in the destination. Jamaica is ready to welcome the demands that will flow from this increase,” added Bartlett.
The partnerships and expansions announced at FITUR 2025, the minister says, underscore Jamaica’s strategic vision for the future.