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Jamaica Tourism Statistics for November 2026
Jamaica recorded 2.60 million stopover arrivals (overnight visitors) in 2025, 10.3% fewer than in 2024, after Hurricane Melissa struck the island on 28 October 2025. Visitors spent an estimated US$4.09 billion, down 5.6%, and with 1.11 million cruise passengers total visitor arrivals reached 3.71 million. In January–August 2026 there were 1.57 million stopover arrivals, 22.3% fewer than a year earlier.
How many people visit Jamaica, where they come from, what they spend and when they travel, compiled from the latest official statistics. Full sources are listed at the bottom of the page. Headline numbers are for 2025, the most recent full year, with 2026 year-to-date where available.
Inbound visitors
International visitors to Jamaica
Jamaica recorded 2,601,416 stopover arrivals in 2025, 10.3% fewer than the 2.90 million of 2024 and 3.0% below the 2.68 million of 2019. The highest total since at least 1980 was 2.92 million in 2023. Arrivals were up 4.5% in July–September 2025, then fell 40.9% in October–December after Hurricane Melissa.
View data table
| Period | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 2.68m | pre-pandemic |
| 2020 | 0.88m | pandemic |
| 2021 | 1.46m | pandemic |
| 2022 | 2.48m | |
| 2023 | 2.92m | highest |
| 2024 | 2.90m | |
| 2025 | 2.60m | hurricane in Q4 |
Stopovers are visitors who stay at least one night, counted from immigration and customs forms. They include 206,675 Jamaicans living abroad in 2025 (−17.3%) and 2,394,741 foreign nationals (−9.6%). With 1,106,361 cruise passengers, total visitor arrivals were 3.71 million (3,707,777), 10.7% fewer than in 2024. 2026 so far: 1,565,449 stopover arrivals in January–August, 22.3% fewer than in the same months of 2025.
Visitor spending
What international visitors spend
Visitors spent an estimated US$4.09 billion in Jamaica in 2025, 5.6% less than the US$4.33 billion of 2024 and 12.4% more than the US$3.64 billion of 2019. The measure is gross visitor expenditure, estimated from a survey of departing visitors, and covers stopover visitors and cruise passengers. Figures are in nominal US dollars.
View data table
| Period | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | US$3.64bn | pre-pandemic |
| 2020 | US$1.26bn | pandemic |
| 2021 | US$2.10bn | pandemic |
| 2022 | US$3.62bn | |
| 2023 | US$4.32bn | |
| 2024 | US$4.33bn | |
| 2025 | US$4.09bn | estimate |
In 2025 foreign nationals spent an estimated US$3.835 billion, cruise passengers US$130 million and Jamaicans living abroad US$127 million. Foreign nationals spent US$192 per person per night on average. In the national balance of payments, the travel services account for October–December 2025 was US$373.75 million weaker than a year earlier, with fewer cruise passengers and foreign stopover visitors after the hurricane.
Source markets
Where Jamaica's visitors come from
The United States accounted for 70.7% of stopover arrivals in 2025, with 1.84 million visitors, followed by Canada (345,714) and the United Kingdom (202,160). All three fell by more than 10%. Arrivals from Latin America rose 66.8%, led by Argentina and Chile. Bars show 2025 stopover arrivals; the muted figure is the change on 2024.
Markets are by country of residence and include Jamaicans living in each country. New York (323,720) and Florida (304,690) were the largest US states of origin and Ontario (241,749) the largest Canadian province. 2026 so far (January–August): United States 1,054,943 (−26.7%), Canada 209,847 (−22.9%), Europe 180,611 (−4.7%) and Latin America 53,751 (+26.3%).
Why they come
Purpose of visit
Most stopover visitors come on holiday: 78.0% gave leisure, recreation and holiday as the purpose of their trip in 2025. Visits to friends and relatives accounted for 16.2% and business for 2.0%.
- Leisure & holiday 78%
- Visiting friends & relatives 16%
- Business 2%
- Other or not stated 4%
Shares of 2,601,416 stopover arrivals, 2025. Among foreign nationals 81.5% came on holiday; among Jamaicans living abroad 52.9% came to visit friends and relatives. "Other" includes trips with no purpose stated.
Seasonality
When they visit
In 2024, the last full year before Hurricane Melissa, December was the busiest month with 302,594 stopover arrivals, followed by March (291,443). September was the quietest, with 167,801. In 2025 July was the busiest month (298,434), and November fell to 70,081, 68.0% below November 2024.
View data table
| Period | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 247k | |
| Feb | 243k | |
| Mar | 291k | |
| Apr | 239k | |
| May | 229k | |
| Jun | 263k | |
| Jul | 258k | |
| Aug | 242k | |
| Sep | 168k | quietest |
| Oct | 198k | |
| Nov | 219k | |
| Dec | 303k | busiest |
Monthly stopover arrivals in 2024; the twelve months add up to the annual 2,900,358. 2024 is shown because the hurricane disrupted the final months of 2025. In 2025, October had 155,700 arrivals (−21.3%) and December 199,326 (−34.1%).
Accommodation
Hotels & occupancy
Hotel rooms were 63.1% occupied on average in 2025, against 63.4% in 2024. Hotels sold 5.30 million room nights, 7.9% fewer than in 2024, and average available room capacity fell 7.2% to 23,009 rooms as several hotels closed temporarily after the hurricane. Montego Bay had the highest occupancy of the resort areas, at 68.2%.
Economic impact
Tourism in Jamaica's economy
Visitors spent an estimated US$4.09 billion in 2025, including US$130 million spent by cruise passengers. About 35,897 people worked directly in tourist accommodation at the end of 2025, against 43,913 a year earlier, with properties temporarily closed after Hurricane Melissa.
Foreign visitors stayed 8.3 nights on average in 2025 (intended stay), up from 7.9 nights in 2024; Jamaicans living abroad stayed 16.5 nights. Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril accounted for 81.8% of direct accommodation jobs.
At a glance
Fast facts
- 70.7% Share of stopover arrivals from the United States (2025)
- 8.3 nights Average intended stay of foreign visitors (2025)
- 577,012 Stopover arrivals at Kingston's Norman Manley airport (2025, +3.9%)
- 51.7% Share of cruise passengers landing at Falmouth (2025)
- 206,675 Jamaicans living abroad who visited as stopovers (2025)
- +122.5% Growth in stopover arrivals from Argentina (2025)
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How many tourists visit Jamaica each year?
Jamaica recorded 2.60 million stopover arrivals (visitors staying at least one night) in 2025, 10.3% fewer than in 2024. Adding 1.11 million cruise passengers, total visitor arrivals were 3.71 million. The highest stopover total since at least 1980 was 2.92 million in 2023.
How much do tourists spend in Jamaica?
Visitors spent an estimated US$4.09 billion in 2025, 5.6% less than the US$4.33 billion of 2024. Foreign nationals spent US$192 per person per night on average. Cruise passengers accounted for US$130 million of the total.
Where do most tourists to Jamaica come from?
The United States, which sent 1.84 million stopover visitors in 2025, or 70.7% of the total. Canada (345,714) and the United Kingdom (202,160) followed. Among the ten largest markets, Argentina grew fastest, up 122.5% to 16,001.
How did Hurricane Melissa affect tourism in Jamaica?
Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on 28 October 2025. Stopover arrivals in October–December 2025 were 40.9% lower than a year earlier, and November fell to 70,081 from 218,878. In January–August 2026 stopover arrivals were 1.57 million, 22.3% fewer than in the same months of 2025, and cruise passengers were down 6.4%.
How many cruise passengers visit Jamaica?
Jamaica had 1,106,361 cruise passengers in 2025, 11.7% fewer than in 2024. Falmouth received 51.7% of them, Ocho Rios 328,391 and Montego Bay 201,886.
When is Jamaica's peak tourist season?
In 2024, the last full year before Hurricane Melissa, December was the busiest month with 302,594 stopover arrivals, followed by March (291,443). September was the quietest month, with 167,801.
Using these figures?
Cite this page
Journalists, researchers and bloggers are welcome to use the statistics on this page. Please credit Jamaica Tourism Statistics and link to this page.
Jamaica Tourism Statistics (2026). Visitors, spending and trends. Last reviewed 2 November 2026. https://www.globaltourismstatistics.com/jamaica
<a href="https://www.globaltourismstatistics.com/jamaica">Jamaica Tourism Statistics</a> Notes & sources
Methodology & sources
This page compiles publicly available official statistics, mainly from the Jamaica Tourist Board, with one quarterly figure from the Bank of Jamaica; the sources for every figure are listed below. Caveats:
- Annual figures for 2025 come from the Jamaica Tourist Board's Annual Travel Statistics 2025 and its 2025 data workbooks (updated May 2026). The 2026 figures come from the monthly summary for August 2026, dated 20 October 2026, which covers January–August. No later 2026 release was found.
- Stopovers are visitors who stay at least 24 hours, counted from immigration and customs (C5) forms. Following the UN tourism statistics recommendations, Jamaican nationals who live abroad and visit are included (206,675 in 2025). Cruise passengers are counted separately from ship manifests; fly-cruise passengers are not counted as stopovers unless they spend a night on land. Markets are by country of residence. Average length of stay is the intended stay given by visitors.
- Visitor spending is the Jamaica Tourist Board's estimate of gross visitor expenditure, from an exit survey of departing visitors at both international airports and the cruise piers. It covers foreign nationals, Jamaicans living abroad and cruise passengers, in nominal US dollars. The series 2019–2025 is read from the chart of gross foreign exchange earnings in the 2025 report. The 2024 report gives US$4.327 billion for 2024 in its text; this page uses US$4.334 billion, the figure in the 2025 report. The October–December 2025 travel figure is the Bank of Jamaica's change in the travel services sub-account against the December 2024 quarter; no annual 2025 travel receipts figure was used.
- The report text gives 2,916,358 stopovers for 2024; the data workbooks and the published change (−10.3%) use 2,900,358, which this page follows. The report's summary page repeats several 2024 values (rooms, 62.9% occupancy, 43,913 jobs); this page uses the detailed hotel utilization table (63.1% occupancy, 23,009 rooms) and the employment text (35,897). The summary page gives an average stay of 8.4 nights, the text 8.3 nights; the text figure is used. Changes by market are calculated from the country-of-residence workbook.
- Category 5 Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on 28 October 2025, the date given by the Bank of Jamaica. The Jamaica Tourist Board attributes most of the fall in arrivals in the final quarter of 2025 to the hurricane. Since October 2024, arrivals recorded at Sangster International Airport (Montego Bay) include arrivals at Ian Fleming International Airport.
- No official figure for tourism's share of GDP and no attraction visitor counts are used, so those items are omitted. Accommodation figures cover hotels; occupancy for other accommodation types is not shown.
Primary sources
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Annual Travel Statistics 2025 : Visitor arrivals, purpose of visit, cruise passengers by port, average length of stay, hotel room occupancy and room nights sold (hotel utilization table), visitor expenditure 2016–2025 and direct employment in accommodation, published 2026.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Annual Travel Statistics 2024 : Direct employment in the accommodation sub-sector at the end of 2024 (43,913) and 2024 visitor expenditure, published 2025.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Visitor arrivals to Jamaica 2009–2025 : Annual stopovers, cruise passengers and total visitors, with a 1980–2025 series on a second sheet, workbook updated 2026.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Stopover arrivals by country of residence and year 2019–2025 : Foreign nationals, non-resident Jamaicans and total stopovers by country of residence, 2019–2025, workbook updated 2026.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Total stopover arrivals by month 2021–2025 : Monthly stopover arrivals, calendar years 2020–2025, and foreign nationals and non-resident Jamaicans by year, workbook updated 2026.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Cruise passenger arrivals by month 2021–2025 : Monthly cruise passenger arrivals, 2020–2025, workbook updated 2026.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Stopover arrivals by port of arrival 2025 : Monthly stopover arrivals at Norman Manley International (Kingston) and Sangster International (Montego Bay), 2024 and 2025.
- Jamaica Tourist Board: Summary of August 2026 visitor arrivals : Stopover, cruise and total visitor arrivals by month and by market region, January–August 2026 against 2025 and 2024, dated 20 October 2026.
- Bank of Jamaica: Balance of Payments Update, December 2025 : December 2025 quarter: travel services sub-account US$373.75 million weaker than in the December 2024 quarter; date of Hurricane Melissa (28 October 2025).