Jamaica is having its best winter season of all time, according to the island’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett. 

Jamaica is estimating 1.18 million visitors in the first quarter, a 94.4 percent increase over the same period last year. 

That represents tourism earnings of $1.15 billion, according to Bartlett. 

This follows a sizzling 2022 that saw 3.3 million visitor arrivals to the island.

“this is the biggest and best winter season Jamaica has ever had in the history of tourism,” Bartlett said. 

“If there was ever an industry that has the potential to transform our nation, our communities and the lives and livelihoods of the Jamaican people for the better, it is tourism,” Bartlett said. 

Indeed, Jamaican GDP is projected to grow by 3 to 5 percent in January compared to the first quarter of 2022.

“Never before in the history of Jamaica has tourism made such a great contribution to the national economy and we are willing to contribute to that process and to make even greater contributions,” he said. “Jamaicans at all levels of society can enjoy a bigger slice of the tourism pie.”

The projection, Bartlett said, is for tourism to continue to be the biggest driver of economic growth on the island.