Canada’s ban on travel to the Caribbean will deliver a massive blow to Jamaica’s economy, with nearly half a billion dollars in tourism revenue to be lost. This is according to the island’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett.
On January 29, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau moved to suspend all flights to the Caribbean and Mexico as part of a host of new travel restrictions. The suspension of flights began on Sunday, January 31, and will run until April 30.
As one of the major tourist markets for Jamaica, Canada’s ban on travel is expected to further sink the economy of the tourism-dependent island, which has been struggling to stay afloat throughout the pandemic.
In an interview with CBC News, Bartlett said he estimates that the ban will cost Jamaica $350 million US ($449 million Cdn). That estimate is based on what the country would see during a regular peak winter season, when Jamaica welcomes between 175,000 – 200,000 Canadians…
