Speaking earlier this week at the official opening ceremony of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) Tourism Trade Show at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, the minister said the expressions of interest by airlines from countries in these regions are a strong signal that Jamaica is poised for an influx of business that will flow from these areas.

Bartlett outlined that "airlift is the centrepiece of our efforts to get visitors to the island and we continue to build partnerships with airlines across the globe, starting with Copa Airlines on December 11, then Satena, which will fly from Colombia to Jamaica, as well as Look Voyages, which will reconnect Jamaica to France for the first time in many years. Fifty thousand additional seats have also been added out of Canada over the figure for last winter, bringing the total to some 300,000 seats from that market, in addition to 700,000 out of the North American market."

The minister expressed delight at the introduction of the new Copa flights into Jamaica, noting that "Copa Airlines will connect Jamaica to 58 cities across North, South and Central America".

Commenting on the upcoming winter tourist season which starts on December 15, Bartlett underscored that "we have already secured over one million airline seats which will allow Jamaica to continue to grow its arrival figures at a pace which will not only bring wealth and credibility to the destination, but also ensure that this beautiful country remains the number-one destination in the Caribbean".