Jamaica Draws Over 1.5 Million Visitors by May Despite Melissa

Kingston, Jamaica, 24 June 2026

Jamaica welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors in the first five months of the year. This was achieved even though only about 70 per cent of the island’s tourism capacity was available after Hurricane Melissa.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett gave the figures on Tuesday, 23 June, during his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

Stopovers and cruise calls

Up to the end of May, the island recorded just over one million stopover visitors and 664,000 cruise passengers. Mr Bartlett told the House that the industry went back into its markets quickly after the storm. It restarted marketing and advertising across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Latin America.

The Jamaica Tourist Board also adjusted its approach, working with booking partners to stimulate demand, maintain confidence in the destination and secure future reservations.

Airports and hotels

The island’s two main international airports handled 3.9 million air seats in 2025, with 3.1 million passenger arrivals and an overall load factor of 80.6 per cent. Over the whole of 2025, Jamaica welcomed 3.7 million visitors and earned US$4 billion in foreign exchange from tourism.

Some 80,000 hotel workers are back on the job. Hotel capacity is projected to exceed 80 per cent this summer and reach about 95 per cent by December, with full restoration expected in the first quarter of 2027.

What it means for households and property

The return of tens of thousands of hotel workers means steadier incomes for many families, particularly in the western parishes hit hardest by the hurricane. That in turn supports rent payments, mortgage commitments and local spending.

For landlords and owners of holiday rentals in resort areas, the recovery in arrivals and the timeline for restoring hotel rooms offer a useful guide to how demand may develop through the rest of the year and into 2027.

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