SIA has been named as the ‘Caribbean Airport of the Year’ in the 10th annual Caribbean Travel Awards
Jamaican tourism industry continues to be one of the main engines of economic growth, with record arrivals and earnings, it is important that Jamaicans feel the benefit of the sector’s success, says Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
Andrew Holness
Holness was speaking at the opening of the new Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, Trelawny. “The Jamaicans must feel the benefits of the tourism sector and their chance of getting a slice of the lucrative tourism pie. It can’t just be prosperity for some, but prosperity for all,” says Holness.
According to the Prime Minister, Jamaica has the potential to exceed its current record arrival figures, estimated at 4.1 million in 2023, with USD 4.3 billion in earnings. He noted that Jamaica has the diversity in its tourism product to attract many visitors.
The Government of Jamaica is making consistent efforts to upscale the country’s tourism industry, evident in Jamaica winning multiple awards during the year 2023, the Jamaican Tourist Board says in a press statement.
It adds that the island destination has earned a total of eight awards in the gold and silver categories at the 2023 Travvy Awards, the island was named as ‘Caribbean’s Best Culinary Destination’ at the 2023 World Culinary Awards ceremony and was also named as the ‘World’s Best Cruise Destination’ and ‘World’s Best Family Destination’ at World Travel Awards 2023; solidifying the Caribbean country’s position as a premier global tourist destination.
The statement adds that recently, the Sangster International Airport (SIA) has been named as the ‘Caribbean Airport of the Year’ in the 10th annual Caribbean Travel Awards.
JTB says the announcement highlighted SIA’s achievements and transformation into one of the Caribbean’s premier aviation hubs. The recent makeover of Sangster International Airport has resulted in a superior, more digitised passenger experience, featuring the world’s first-ever Bob Marley-branded restaurant.
In an initiative to promote Jamaica globally, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, says the Ian Fleming International Airport has all the right tools to be a powerful marketing magnate for Jamaica. The airport is named after a non-Jamaican, late British author Ian Fleming, however, the massive international name recognition and appeal, especially when we factor in the worldwide success of the James Bond movie franchise, justifies the move in going in that direction.
Edmund Bartlett
“The renaming and upgrading of what was once the Boscobel Aerodrome to the Ian Fleming International Airport, named after the iconic writer and creator of the successful James Bond movies, can be a huge pull factor for Jamaica,” Bartlett says.
“Fleming, who wrote the James Bond novels from his villa in nearby Oracabessa and lived in Jamaica for a significant portion of his life, has strong ties to the area, making the change from Boscobel to Ian Fleming a fitting tribute,” he adds.
Bartlett says that the association with Ian Fleming and the James Bond series brings with it myriad advantages for the tourism sector, arguing that the international recognition and global popularity of the James Bond franchise can serve as a powerful marketing tool for Jamaica, enticing fans of the iconic 007 (moniker for James Bond) spy movies to visit the island and explore the locations that played a part in the creation and filming of the series.
