Quietly, a major new tourism player has emerged in Jamaica. No, it’s not Spain. Nor is it China.
It’s closer to home: Mexico.
That country’s investors have been responsible for much of the island’s major tourism investments over the last few years: the $200 million investment in the Moon Palace Jamaica Grande; the purchase of the Sangster International Airport by the Mexican Pacific Group; and even the purchase of Dolphin Cove by Mexico-based Dolphin Discovery.
That’s without mentioning the $900 million planned investment by Karisma Hotels and Resorts.
“We are extremely excited to continue working and growing alongside the people of Jamaica, and we remain committed to further enhancing the already great tourism industry here,” said Ruben Becerra, vice president of corporate affairs and business development at Karisma Hotels and Resorts.
Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller said Mexico was a “great trading partner and a reliable friend of Jamaica.”
“The level of commitment we are seeing from these foreign investors only goes to show how Jamaica is being perceived globally,” Simpson Miller said.