TORONTO — With more lift from Canada this winter and potentially beyond, plus more hotel rooms on the way, the sky’s the limit for Jamaica out of the Canadian market.

“Jamaica and Canada’s tourism partnership is reaching new heights, and we have exciting developments on the horizon,” said Angella Bennett, Regional Director for Canada at the Jamaican Tourist Board.

She added, “and you know in Jamaica… we do things big!”

Last week, the JTB’s Director of Tourism, Donovan White, along with the executive JTB team, warmly welcomed a group of media representatives, airline partners and tour operators at W Toronto to highlight all the latest updates about Jamaica.

Fiona Fennell, PR & Communications Manager, JTB (centre) with team members representing the JTB’s PR agency, Weber Shandwick

“I am pleased to share some positive news regarding our overall tourism performance to date. Our August numbers were up 8% from Canada, and the strike action last month did not affect our performance,” said White.

“To be even more specific, during August, we maintained over 90% load factors on all flights from Canada to Jamaica,” he added.

Looking ahead to the upcoming winter season, flight capacity to Jamaica will increase 22%, with a total of 365,000 seats available, eclipsing last winter’s total of 293,000.

White expressed gratitude for the support from partners including Air Canada, WestJet, Sunwing, Air Transat and Caribbean Airlines.

It’s all about building momentum — together.

NEW GATEWAYS, NEW LIFT

What else is on the radar for Jamaica?

New service from Quebec City to Jamaica will launch for the first time on Dec. 6 and will run through April 12 with Sunwing and WestJet – a negotiation over two years in the making.

Moreover, Edmonton will resume weekly WestJet service to Jamaica starting Nov. 2, running until April 12. Air Canada is also set to commence routes from Ottawa and Halifax this December.

In the bigger picture, White highlighted that Toronto will offer an impressive 10 flights to Jamaica each week.

“There is absolutely no reason not to sell Jamaica and fill those planes,” said White.

To that end, White also announced a new airline partner, Flair Airlines, which will provide daily, year-round service from Toronto to Montego Bay beginning Dec. 14. “And, here’s the kicker, air fares [with Flair] will start as low as $189,” he added.

White also hinted at a potential partnership with Porter Airlines in 2026.

HOTEL UPDATES

Jamaica has more good news regarding accommodation developments and refurbishments planned for this winter and next.

The W Toronto team served up great food at the Jamaica Tourist Board’s latest travel industry event

Currently, there are 35,000 hotel rooms in stock, with a goal to reach 50,000 in seven years.

Unico will open its first hotel in the English-speaking Caribbean in Montego Bay in March 2026. The all-inclusive luxury property will offer 435 rooms with full amenities.

Additionally, Hard Rock Hotel will break ground for a development that includes 1,100 rooms.

Last month marked the groundbreaking of the Moon Palace, located next to the Unico and Hard Rock Hotels. Once completed, this all-inclusive resort will be the tallest building in the Caribbean, standing at 34 stories and 1,100 rooms.

Bahia Principe will undergo a significant renovation of the family side of the resort in 2026, and plans are in place to add another hotel on the same property.

Other builds will include a new Secret in St. Anne and a 948-room addition to the Grand Palladium Hotel in Montego Bay.

The first casino on the island is set to open this December at the Princess Hotel in Negril, attracting a new demographic to the brand.

Additionally, Footprints, an original boutique hotel, has completed a total renovation, setting a new standard for boutique hotels in Jamaica.

LOOKING AHEAD

The JTB has made a strategic move to invest in the luxury market, reestablishing its partnership with Virtuoso and plans to enhance its overall luxury offerings. Inclusion in Virtuoso presents new sales and marketing opportunities for the destination.

Jamaica is seeing a notable rise in luxury hotel bookings, up 30% this fall and 35% for the winter. The growth is aligning well in attracting travellers to this market segment.

“We are delighted with the organic growth in the luxury segment, and we will continue to make it even more accessible for discerning travellers,” said White.

Meanwhile, the island also has plans for growth in Canada, with a particular focus on Western Canada.

“There’s no secret that Western Canada holds significant strategic potential for us in the next five years. Those conversations are already underway,” said White with a smile.

Wth robust bookings in August and double-digit growth for the fall-winter season, White is grateful for the support. “We compete with everyone – Caribbean, Europe, Africa and Asia. And that doesn’t make what we do any easier.”

White also emphasized that the relationship with the Canadian travellers has never been stronger, citing the substantial growth in August, increased flight capacity for winter, and robust bookings across the marketplace.

“We are humbled by this show of support and confidence in the Jamaican tourism product, and we want to thank each of you for your continued support.”

The JTB’s Judy Nash with Travelweek’s Annie Cicvaric and Sam Youssef with Travel Brands