Jamaica steps up its offensive toward Latin America and Europe: air links and sales in focus ahead of ITB Berlin 2026.
On the eve of the world’s largest B2B tourism gathering in Berlin, Jamaica has launched a new round of international promotion, centered on two words that mean everything in the industry: air capacity and sales. According to travel media reports, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett is leading a multi-day marketing mission through Colombia and Panama, then moving on to Germany to reinforce the country’s position among global partners at ITB Berlin 2026. In the tourism sector—where demand is often created faster than guests can physically be “brought in”—negotiations on flights and packages become more important than the campaigns themselves. Jamaica is therefore coming forward with a clear message: it wants more seats to the Caribbean from Latin America, broader distribution channels, and more stable sources of demand. This approach fits the market-diversification strategy the Ministry of Tourism has been talking about in recent years, emphasizing the need to reduce reliance on traditional markets and strengthen the sector’s resilience.
Bogotá and Panama City: talks with airlines and a “fast” B2B format
According to the published itinerary information, Bartlett was in Bogotá on 27 February 2026, where he and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) team carried out a targeted three-day promotional drive focused on Colombia and Panama. The centerpiece was meetings with key air-transport players, because route networks determine whether traveler interest turns into real arrivals. On Thursday, 26 February 2026, talks were held with senior management of Avianca and Wingo, focusing on strengthening connectivity with Jamaica and opening space for additional frequencies or new routes. The next day, Friday 27 February 2026, talks continued in Panama City, where Bartlett met with the leadership of Copa Airlines—an airline that for years has been one of the most important “bridges” between South America and the Caribbean. The emphasis on Panama is no accident: it is a hub through which passengers connect to a range of destinations, so every additional rotation has a multiplied effect on accessibility. Such meetings are usually a mix of commercial and operational topics, from schedules and aircraft type to joint marketing activities and support for tour operators.
ANATO 2026 as a key stage for Latin America
Part of the program in Bogotá also included engagement at Vitrina Turística de ANATO, an event treated in Colombia as the central business meeting place of the tourism industry. According to the organizer’s official information, ANATO 2026 takes place from 25 to 27 February 2026 at Corferias, in a format geared toward professionals, meetings, and contract-making. Exactly such an environment—where airlines, agencies, tour operators, hotels, and tourism boards share the same space—fits a strategy that relies not only on “brand” but also on distribution. For Jamaica, that means negotiating packages, stimulating sales through travel agencies, and aligning the offer with the habits of travelers from Latin America. In practice, the Latin American market often looks for a different pricing structure, more flexible packages, and better connectivity via regional hubs. That is why, on occasions like this, the conversation is not only about the destination’s beauty, but about the conditions under which the destination will be sold. Jamaica is trying to increase visibility on that ground, but also to strengthen the “chain” that ends with an actual booking.
Airlift as a measure of success: seats, frequencies, and a stable flow of visitors
Tour reports say Jamaica wants to increase air capacity from South America as early as the 2026 and 2027 seasons, which is a typical planning horizon for airlines’ fleet and network decisions. The same reports highlight that in 2025 Jamaica recorded a 75.9 percent rise in arrivals from Latin America compared with the year before, with particularly strong results in individual markets such as Peru, Argentina, and Chile. Such figures—if confirmed in official statistics and industry reports—are typically used as an argument in negotiations with carriers: high demand means lower risk for new routes. On the other hand, increasing “airlift” is not only a tourism issue but also a broader economic one, because it affects investment, supply chains, and employment. Jamaica explicitly links that logic to the goal that tourism should benefit a wider circle of citizens—something the Ministry of Tourism often connects in its statements to the concept of “inclusive growth” and infrastructure investment. Ultimately, the tourism story in 2026 is increasingly measured by capacity and reliability of connectivity, and less by the reach of a social-media campaign.
Concrete market signals: Copa expands flights to Montego Bay
The talks in Panama gain additional weight from the fact that Copa is already strengthening its presence in the Jamaican market. According to Jamaica Gleaner, Minister Bartlett announced in December 2025 that Copa Airlines would increase flights to Montego Bay to 10 per week, strengthening Jamaica’s air links with South America. The same source adds that Copa’s total operations to Jamaica should reach 15 weekly flights, including five flights to Kingston, and that Montego Bay is key as the island’s main tourism gateway. That dynamic shows why the diplomatic-market “blitz” is taking place precisely on the Colombia–Panama axis: these are markets and hubs that directly influence the destination’s accessibility. The Jamaica Gleaner article further notes that Jamaica was operating at roughly 70 percent of available accommodation capacity in that period, with expectations of further growth in 2026—again bringing the story back to the balance between accommodation supply and seat supply. When those two parameters are not aligned, a destination can run out of “room” for growth even if demand is strong. That is why flight talks are often conducted in parallel with hoteliers and investors, with the aim of making growth sustainable rather than short-lived.
Recovery after Hurricane Melissa and a new phase of international promotion
In 2026 Jamaica is pushing the resilience narrative not only as a marketing message, but as practical experience from a recent crisis. In a January 2026 statement, Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism said the global marketing campaign had been intensified to rebuild and “reposition” the tourism sector after Hurricane Melissa. The same statement emphasizes that activities are focused on strengthening visitor confidence, relations with sales channels and the media, and accelerating recovery—stressing that “lives and confidence” are being rebuilt, not just numbers. That context explains why Jamaica is working on several fronts at the same time: from the United States and Europe, via Ibero-America, to Latin America. After major disruptions, tourist destinations typically first restore existing markets and then seek new ones to reduce the risk of excessive concentration. Jamaica is now trying to accelerate precisely that second phase, relying on partnerships with major operators as well as on growing regional carriers. When recovery is paired with additional flights, the message to the market is clear: the destination is operationally ready, and supply chains and services have stabilized.
The numbers behind the story: seat capacity, new hubs, and ambitious goals
The economic side of the story is supported by air-capacity data regularly used as an indicator of carrier confidence. An analytical review by NCB Capital Markets, citing the Jamaica Tourist Board, states that for the period from September 2025 to February 2026 a 4.4 percent increase in seat capacity is projected at the country’s three main airports: Sangster (Montego Bay), Norman Manley (Kingston), and Ian Fleming (Ocho Rios). The same review says Sangster should see a 5.6 percent rise in planned seats, Kingston 1.3 percent, and Ian Fleming as much as 37 percent—pointing to expanded access through smaller gateways as well. The source also reminds that 2024 was a strong year with 4.3 million visitors and about 4.3 billion US dollars in revenue, and that the U.S. accounts for roughly three-quarters of stopover arrivals. That is precisely why Jamaica talks about diversification: when one region holds the largest share of arrivals, any disruption there spills over into the entire destination economy. NCB Capital Markets also mentions the launch of the first direct Lisbon–Montego Bay flights on World2Fly Portugal, fitting efforts to strengthen the European component of demand. Such projects also serve as a market signal that the destination does not rely on a single corridor, but is building a network of accessibility.
ITB Berlin 2026: the fair’s 60th anniversary and a credibility test for the strategy
The tour’s peak moves to Germany, precisely as ITB Berlin marks 60 years of existence. ITB Berlin’s official site states the trade show takes place from 3 to 5 March 2026 at Berlin ExpoCenter City, and that it is a B2B event which, alongside the exhibition, also includes the ITB Berlin Convention. In 2026 ITB highlights a special anniversary dimension and thematic diversity—from adventure and business tourism to travel technology—which for destinations like Jamaica is an opportunity to talk simultaneously with tour operators, airlines, and technology partners. An ITB press release says the 2026 convention will be guided by the theme “Leading Tourism into Balance”, with more than 400 speakers and 17 thematic tracks, focusing on sustainable business models, managing overtourism, climate adaptation, and the role of data and artificial intelligence. This matters for Jamaica too, because “resilience” today is increasingly less about crisis protocols and more about a destination’s ability to manage growth, protect resources, and maintain experience quality. For Minister Bartlett—who in previous appearances and statements has often stressed resilience as a key word—Berlin is an opportunity to tie that theme to concrete measures: connectivity, investment, and risk management.
UN Tourism and “Emerging Destinations”: a political framework followed by commercial deals
Alongside the business part of the fair, Berlin also hosts a political program segment that can influence destinations’ reputation and investment framework. For ITB Berlin 2026, UN Tourism announces an event titled “Empowering Emerging Destinations: From Potential to Performance”, with activities from 2 to 5 March 2026, including a ministerial format and public-private dialogue. The topic is relevant for Caribbean destinations because it opens discussion on how to turn “potential” into measurable results while keeping growth inclusive and resilient. In practice, such forums often also serve as places where bilateral meetings are confirmed and joint projects agreed—from technical assistance to investment initiatives. Reports about Bartlett’s Berlin program also mention a planned bilateral meeting with the UN Tourism Secretary-General and participation in the ministerial summit, consistent with the announced UN Tourism and ITB Navigator frameworks. When political visibility is combined with B2B negotiations, a destination gets a chance to build image and “close” operational deals at the same time. That is why Berlin matters not only as a trade show, but as a week in which tourism is viewed through geopolitics, technology, and investment.
World Tourism Network roundtable and dinner on 2 March: networking beyond the exhibition halls
The day before ITB Berlin opens, on 2 March 2026, the World Tourism Network (WTN) organizes its first ITB Networking Dinner event in Berlin, announcing Minister Bartlett as guest of honor. According to WTN information, dinner starts at 19:00 and is held at Alpha House near Wittenbergplatz, in cooperation with the International Institute for Peace Through Tourism, the African Tourism Board, and eTurboNews. Organizers highlight a more relaxed format and discussion of topics such as resilience, market diversification, and innovation—also key words of Jamaica’s strategy at this stage. Such off-site meetings in the tourism industry often have a big impact because they bring decision-makers together outside the fair’s formal protocol. They also enable destinations to speak directly with media, distributors, and smaller but agile entrepreneurs who can quickly open new sales channels. For Jamaica, seeking a stronger entry into Latin American flows, those channels can be decisive: smaller operators and specialized agencies often test the market first, then “pull” larger systems along. Bartlett’s role as guest of honor symbolically confirms the focus on resilience, but practically provides a platform for conversations that turn into negotiations at the fair the next day.
Diversification without illusions: what else must “click” alongside new flights
Although air capacity is often seen as the quickest path to growth, the industry knows that additional seats alone are not a guarantee of success. For new routes to survive, the destination must show stable demand, reliable operational performance, and sufficient accommodation capacity—especially important during recovery after natural disasters. From that perspective, Jamaica’s focus on “sales” alongside “airlift” looks like an attempt to align two systems: tour operators need products and prices, airlines need filled seats, and hotels need predictability. In the context of Copa’s expansion, Jamaica Gleaner also pointed to the question of room capacity and the fact that part of the supply was still returning to full operation, meaning the destination must manage growth carefully. That is why, alongside flight negotiations, talks about packages, promotion through travel agencies, and the quality of the on-destination experience are equally important. Tour reports note that JTB plans to continue with regional roadshows, participation at trade fairs, digital influencer campaigns, press trips, and sales-channel training programs—tools that in practice keep demand stable throughout the year. If these elements fall into place, Jamaica can turn short-term interest into a long-term flow of visitors from regions that have not previously been in the foreground.
What March brings in Berlin: a test for deals and the resilience message
If plans proceed according to the announced program, Bartlett’s tour ends precisely in the week when key people of global tourism gather in Berlin, from ministers to the largest corporations and distributors. ITB Berlin 2026, along with its 60th anniversary, offers a context in which travel is viewed through a “balance” between growth and sustainability—an umbrella Jamaica is trying to fill by emphasizing resilience and inclusive development. At the same time, meetings with airlines in Bogotá and Panama City are a reminder that “balance” in tourism begins very concretely: with the number of flights, schedules, and seat prices. For Jamaica, Berlin is therefore the place where it will be tested whether the talks from Latin America will continue in the form of contracts, and whether European markets will gain additional reasons to return and expand. In the coming weeks, the real measure of success will be visible through announcements of new routes, increased frequencies, and sales partnerships, but also through how quickly the destination can stabilize supply after disruptions. In an industry increasingly reliant on data and risk management, Jamaica has signaled it wants to be among those who turn crises into opportunity—but it will have to confirm that claim with the numbers that come after the fair.
Sources:- ITB Berlin – official dates and information about the ITB Berlin 2026 trade show. (itb.com)
- ITB Berlin – press release on the ITB Berlin Convention 2026 and the theme “Leading Tourism into Balance”. (itb.com)
- UN Tourism – event “ITB: Empowering Emerging Destinations: From Potential to Performance” (ITB Berlin 2026, 2–5 March 2026). (untourism.int)
- World Tourism Network – announcement of the ITB Networking Dinner on 2 March 2026 and information on location and program. (wtn.travel)
- Jamaica Ministry of Tourism – statement on intensifying the international marketing “blitz” after Hurricane Melissa (January 2026). (mot.gov.jm)
- Jamaica Ministry of Tourism – statement on Jamaica’s connectivity and tourism investment (September 2025). (mot.gov.jm)
- Jamaica Gleaner – report on the expansion of Copa’s service to Montego Bay (December 2025). (jamaica-gleaner.com)
- NCB Capital Markets (source: Jamaica Tourist Board) – estimates of air-capacity growth for September 2025–February 2026. (ncbcapitalmarkets.com)
- ANATO – official fact sheet and dates for Vitrina Turística ANATO 2026 in Bogotá (25–27 February 2026). (vitrinaturistica.anato.org)
- eTurboNews – report on Minister Bartlett’s marketing mission in Colombia, Panama, and Germany and the Berlin program ahead of ITB. (eturbonews.com)
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