Passenger arrivals down nearly 20 per cent, but tourism official says demand remains strong | News
Jamaica recorded a 22 per cent decline in available airline seats between January and August compared with the corresponding period last year, even as flights to the island operated at an average load factor of 85 per cent.
Deputy Director of Tourism for the Americas Phillip Rose disclosed the figures this morning during the official opening of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) at Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios, St Ann.
Passenger arrivals were also down just under 20 per cent year-on-year, but Rose said the load factor, the percentage of available airline seats occupied by passengers, increased by 3.8 per cent.
Approximately 1.9 million airline seats were available to Jamaica during the eight-month period.
“The number that I want you to focus on is that load factor at 85 per cent,” Rose told tourism stakeholders, travel advisers, tour operators and international media attending JAPEX.
“That means that essentially the flights are full. You might be able to get a seat on a Tuesday or a Wednesday, but all the prime days are full.”
Rose said the reduction in available seats was understandable in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which severely disrupted Jamaica’s tourism industry and forced the closure of thousands of hotel rooms.
However, he argued that the high load factor points to continued strong demand for the destination.
“Jamaica is in vogue. Jamaica is in demand. Jamaica is sexy, and the flights are full coming in,” he declared.
Rose said demand is, in fact, outpacing Jamaica’s current hotel inventory, approximately 70 per cent of which has so far returned to service.
Against that background, he said the Jamaica Tourist Board has been working with airline partners to rebuild and expand connectivity from the United States, Canada, Europe and Latin America.
Among the expanded services announced are Copa Airlines flights between Panama and Montego Bay, which will increase to 10 weekly, while Panama-Kingston service will operate five times weekly.
Jamaica has also secured year-round Wingo service from Bogotá and Medellín in Colombia, with Rose reporting strong loads on the routes.
Virgin Atlantic is expected to operate seven weekly flights from London Heathrow, while British Airways will operate four weekly flights from Gatwick.
Additional Canadian capacity is also being introduced for the winter season, while new service from Tampa, Florida, is expected to operate twice weekly.
Rose said strong support from global airline partners was evidence of their confidence in Jamaica’s tourism recovery.
“The job of any destination is not to convince an airline to fly to that destination,” he said.
“The job of the destination is to create so much demand that you force the airlines to not introduce capacity, but then to increase capacity.”
JAPEX, Jamaica’s premier tourism trade show, is being staged by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association in partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board.
Janet.Silvera@gleanerjm.com
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