Jamaica is looking for serious sustained growth over the next five years, according to Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett.

The Minister, who said the country’s summer tourist season had enjoyed an auspicious start, said the country was targeting growth at a minimum of five percent per year for the next five years, beginning in 2017.

That will hinge on strong growth out of the US market, although even 5 percent growth will lag that of Jamaica’s top competitors like the Dominican Republic.

“The US market continues to grow and the summer projections are pretty strong. In fact, the winter looks pretty strong and so we are keeping our fingers crossed that everything continues the way it is, as we are determined to get to that five per cent growth,” Bartlett said.

“This is our growth market… this is our largest market and, of course, the most significant market for us,” he said.

— Caribbean Journal staff