In the first three months of 2023, the number of tourists visiting Jamaica’s sun-kissed beaches increased by nearly 100%, resulting in long lines and hours-long waits for passengers arriving at the island’s main airport.
The issue, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, was caused by a lack of staff at the airport to handle the unexpected number of passengers arriving at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay since the pandemic ended.
Bartlett said there were 1.18 million appearances from January through Walk 2023 — 94% more than a similar time of 2022 and a record high for Jamaica’s travel industry high season.
According to Bartlett, “the recovery has been stronger than anticipated, and everyone is having difficulty with their airports because many of the workers have not returned.”
He stated that in an effort to eliminate paperwork at the airport, the authorities plan to spend more on technology, including eliminating the requirement for visitors to fill out a form upon arrival.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness also said that the problems at Sangster Airport show how important it is to move forward with the $70 million project to modernize and expand the airport.
Honess stated that the improvements at the Caribbean’s largest and busiest airport will make Jamaica more appealing and more competitive with other countries in the region that have also invested heavily in improving their infrastructure. The work is expected to be finished by 2025.
The runway is being extended as part of the project for $34 million, with completion anticipated in June 2023.
The possibilities of Sangster Airport accommodating these massive airlines, which will fly to Jamaica and the Caribbean, excite officials.
The Jamaican Tourism Ministry’s growth plan aims to bring 5 million visitors to the island annually by 2025. That would represent an increase of 35% from the 2022 peak of 3.7 million tourists visiting Jamaica.
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Asian and Middle Eastern countries are among new business sectors being designated by Jamaica, and they’re expecting to oblige the bigger airplane that would be utilized on such long stretch flights.
In 2019, preceding the pandemic, the airport handled 4.7 million travelers, including residents and guests. In 2022, 3.7 million tourists visited Jamaica, with 70% using the Sangster gateway.
Sangster is managed by MBJ Airports Ltd., a group that is 745 percent owned by a subsidiary of Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, a Mexican airport operator, and the rest by Vantage Airport Group of Canada.
The consortium claimed that it spent $287 million to improve the airport over the first 18 years of the 30-year concession, which began in 2003.
The operator of the airport has expanded the immigration hall and departure lounge, among other improvements. The registration region was as of late furnished with 60 self-administration booths, with plans to introduce more, to reduce passenger handling and holding up times.
