Jamaica is getting a wave of new airlift for the upcoming winter tourist season, officials told Caribbean Journal. 

The destination has secured almost 80,000 new air seats for the period, in order to meet what officials called “increased demand from travelers.”

The vast majority of those seats are coming from the northeastern United States, with more than 64,000 additional seats, largely out of New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. 

That includes United Airlines’ increased frequency from Newark to Montego Bay, along with American Airlines’ increase in service to Montego Bay from Philadelphia, among others.

Jamaica has been seeing a surge in tourism arrivals so far this year, with more than 2 million stayover visitors through the end of September. 

That represents a 9.1 percent increase over the same period in 2018, Jamaica’s highest arrival growth rate in years. 

That’s been buoyed by strong growth out of the all-important United States source market, which has sent 13.5 percent more travelers to Jamaica in the period. 

 “We’re pleased with the growing demand for travel options to Jamaica, and the increased airlift makes the destination even more accessible for winter travelers,” said Donovan White, Jamaica’s director of tourism.