Jamaica is coming off a banner year that saw more than 4.15 million visitors last year, when combining sea and air arrivals. 

Now, the island has a bigger goal: 5 million, a number which Jamaica Tourism Minster Edmund Bartlett says he expects to achieve as early as 2025. 

Indeed, Jamaica’s tourism sector — and local manufacturers — should already be preparing to meet the demand this number of tourists will bring, Bartlett says. 

“Jamaica is experiencing its best ever tourism performance in terms of arrivals, inclusive of cruise passengers, stopovers and US dollar earnings,” says Jennifer Griffith, permanent  secretary in Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism. 

The question is, can Jamaica pull it off, and so soon? 

The answer seems to be yes — in large part due to Bartlett’s ability to attract new airlift, which the island has been welcoming in droves, including American Airlines’ landmark service to Ocho Rios’ Ian Fleming International Airport, which was inaugurated last month.