Tag: Jamaica

Jamaica Tourist Board has reassured the travel trade that the main tourism areas remain unaffected by the violence in its capital, Kingston.

Director of Tourism John Lynch said: Travellers to the areas of Jamaica including Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Negril and the South Coast are some four hours away from the area of concern.

Jamaicas Minister for Tourism, Ed Bartlett, is predicting a 6% growth in tourism arrivals to the island this year, almost twice that recorded last year.

The Tourism Minister attributed this to the time and resources spent putting the infrastructure in place to grow the travel and tourism sector, including deliberate strategies to increase air capacity, to the island.

Cruise arrivals, which registered a decline in 2009, are projected to increase by 5% this year.

* Resident population: 2,825,928 Annual visitors: 1,704,000 (est.)
* Major features: beaches, scuba diving, cliff diving, jungle tours
* 50,623 TripAdvisor reviews of 1,225 accommodations, 261 attractions and 305 restaurants

Jamaica is a melting pot of African, Asian, European and Middle Eastern cultures. You'll experience this diversity in its strong crafts tradition, performing arts and distinctive dining options, like ackee and saltfish with roast breadfruit.