Jamaica and Saudi Arabia are exploring opportunities to establish stronger air links between the two countries, a move that could expand tourism, business travel and cargo connections between the Caribbean and the Middle East.
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, held preliminary discussions with officials from Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Programme (ACP) in Riyadh as part of efforts to broaden Jamaica’s international airlift and develop new tourism source markets.
The discussions are the latest in a wider programme of engagement between Jamaica and Saudi Arabia covering tourism development, aviation, investment and human capital development.
Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Programme works with government and private-sector partners to develop air routes serving the Kingdom, supporting its wider tourism and aviation ambitions under Vision 2030.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed the potential for improved air connectivity to position Jamaica as a gateway to the wider Caribbean while giving travelers from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf markets greater access to the island.
Jamaica could also potentially serve as a regional hub for onward business and leisure travel, while additional connectivity could create opportunities for passenger and cargo traffic between Saudi Arabia, the Caribbean and Latin America.
“This engagement with Saudi Arabia’s Air Connectivity Program reflects our continued push to widen Jamaica’s airlift and open new source markets,” Bartlett said.
“Every new route we secure translates directly into growth for our hoteliers, our attractions, and the small businesses that depend on tourism.”
Jamaica has been seeking to diversify its tourism source markets while continuing to expand airlift from established markets including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, as well as Latin America.
Greater connectivity with Saudi Arabia could benefit Jamaican hotels, attractions, ground transportation providers and small and medium-sized tourism enterprises by supporting additional visitor arrivals and opening access to a relatively new source market.
The discussions also highlighted the potential economic benefits beyond leisure tourism, particularly through cargo traffic and greater commercial links between the regions.
“Air connectivity with Jamaica and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would open a wealth of opportunities for both countries through visitor and cargo traffic,” Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Donovan White, said…
