MEP Caribbean Publishers: Jamaica remains top visitor destination; Cuba breaks tourist arrivals record

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Jamaica remains top visitor destination; Cuba breaks tourist arrivals record

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Thursday, 1 January 2009

Jamaica remains top visitor destination; Cuba breaks tourist arrivals record

Image by caribbeanfreephoto via FlickrJamaica's tourism officials seem to have good reason to remain confident about their tourism outlook.

Despite the bleak economic outlook worldwide, Jamaica saw over 70,000 airport arrivals during the first three weeks of December, up 7.3% over the previous year.

What's more, popular travel site TripAdvisor has ranked Jamaica among the Top Ten Holiday Dream Escapes. Jamaica came in at number seven, beating out European escape Rome, Italy; popular Caribbean getaway the Bahamas; and Tahiti, which rounded out the top ten. Hawaii came in at number one.

The rankings were based on a survey of 1,800 travellers on the TripAdvisor website during the month of December.

Meanwhile, northeastern Caribbean neighbour Cuba broke its tourist arrival figures in 2008, welcoming over two million visitors – a 9.3% increase over the previous year. This despite being hit by several hurricanes which closed 6,000 hotel rooms, and cancellations at the beginning of the global economic downturn.

Cuba's tourism ministry projects 8% growth for 2009, with growing numbers of visitors from Canada and Europe. The inauguration of President-elect Obama in the United States later this month brings the potential for a lifting or easing of the embargo against Cuba, also opening up the US tourist market.