Jamaica is planning a major push to increase its market share in the United Kingdom and Ireland, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett. 

The island received about 229,000 visitors from the United Kingdom last year. By 2025, Jamaica is looking to welcome more than 250,000 visitors combined from the UK and Ireland. 

Bartlett said Jamaica was the “number one destination” for UK visitors in the Caribbean last year. 

“We plan to aggressively build on this number,” he said. “With additional airlift with the upcoming Norse flights next month along with our other long standing airline partners, I am confident we will be able to meet this target.”

Bartlett was speaking in London this past week for the annual World Travel Market conference. 

The aforementioned service on Norse Atlantic Airways will be operating four times each week between London Gatwick and Montego Bay. 

“We are truly grateful to be number one in the Caribbean for British travellers, and it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team. With this new target, it means pushing even more to achieve this goal and retain the number one spot,” said Elizabeth Fox, Regional Director, UK and Nordics, Jamaica Tourist Board.