Jamaica Sees Jump in Cruise Ship Arrivals

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - October 2, 2012

Above: Ocho Rios

By the Caribbean Journal staff

There were a total of 937,000 cruise ship visitors to Jamaica in the first eight months of 2012, a 33.9 percent increase compared to the same period in 2011, according to Tourism Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill.

McNeill was speaking at the opening of the JAPEX 2012 meeting Monday in Ocho Rios.

There was also a 2.4 percent increase in stopover arrivals to Jamaica in the same period.

McNeill said Jamaica, which is working to upgrade its tourism infrastructure, is looking to “crank things up even further” for the winter season in 2012-2013.

Jamaica is planning to rebrand the town of Ocho Rios under the theme of “Where Eden Meets the Ocean,” the Minister said.

The Cool List: The Caribbean’s Coolest Places to Stay in 2025, From Adventure Resorts to Historic Inns

It was one of the first major guides we at Caribbean Journal ever put together: The Cool List, whose first edition was back in 2013 and which remains an unrivaled curation of unique, character-filled, personality-driven, artful hotels around the Caribbean. […]

The 25 Best Best Beach Bars in the Caribbean for 2025, From Aruba to St Barth to Eleuthera

You can find the perfect island. You can book the perfect hotel. But your vacation hasn’t really begun until you pull up to your chair with an ice-cold cocktail at the perfect Caribbean beach bar. For all of the wonders […]

The 25 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean for 2025, From Beach Hotels to Private Hideaways to Overwater Bungalows

Today’s travelers want experiences. They want great food. They want authenticity. They want thoughtful service. But if you’re been following the travel industry in the last half-decade, you know that what today’s travelers really want are all-inclusive resorts. The all-inclusive […]

This Top Riviera Maya Resort Brand Is Expanding to Montego Bay, Jamaica

It’s one of the top all-inclusive resorts on the Riviera Maya in Mexico: UNICO 20°87°, which has earned rave reviews for its locally-focused, authenticity rich adults-only experience in the Mexican Caribbean. And now the UNICO brand is adding another latitude […]

This Under-the-Radar Airport in Jamaica Is Getting Daily Flights on American Airlines

It’s the birthplace of Bond, and the home of some of Jamaica’s coolest hotels: Ocho Rios on the northern coast of the island. Now, after a successful launch of nonstop flights from Miami (the route kicked off earlier this year) […]

Jamaica Is Looking to Become a Global "Leader" in Wellness

It’s one of the fastest-growing niches in the travel industry: wellness, that large umbrella that includes everything from spa treatments to fitness, health food to sustainability. And now one of the Caribbean’s most popular destinations is making wellness a significant […]