Jamaica Eyes South America Tourism Boom
Jamaica is actively working to expand airlift from South America, signaling an expected increase in tourist arrivals from the continent. This strategic move is poised to create more demand for local service businesses, particularly those in the hospitality, tour, and wellness sectors that cater to visitors.
This strategic push builds on a significant surge in 2025, which saw a 75.9% year-over-year increase in visitor arrivals from Latin America. Tourism earnings from the region have more than doubled, jumping 108% from USD $55 million in 2023 to $116 million in 2025. Key airline partners are driving this expansion, with existing LATAM Airlines routes from Lima, Peru, operating at high load factors between 80% and 86%. Panama's Copa Airlines and Colombia's Wingo are also crucial, providing direct service to Montego Bay and Kingston from hubs in Panama City and Bogotá. The growth is being led by specific South American countries. Argentina is the top-performing market with arrivals up 111% compared to the previous year. It is followed by Chile, while Peru has shown a massive 444% increase in tourist arrivals, largely attributed to LATAM Airlines' hub in Lima. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett is spearheading high-level discussions with airline executives from Avianca, Wingo, and Copa to add more seats for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The goal is to finalize the expanded airlift agreements by mid-2026. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify Jamaica's tourism base and reduce over-reliance on traditional markets. The government's stated goal is to increase Latin America's share of the tourism market from just 2% to 10% by 2027. Projections show continued strong growth, with Jamaica expecting 100,000 arrivals from Latin America in 2026 and 175,000 in 2027. If these targets are met, the anticipated earnings from this market will exceed USD $500 million over the next two years.
