THE 2006 Travel Trends Survey has named Jamaica the fourth most popular international travel destination for travel agents in the United States.
The survey, conducted by Carlson Wagonlit Travel, polled 363 of their Travel Associate owners, managers and frontline agents throughout the United States from November 28 to December 16, 2005. Jamaica was ranked fourth by 34.7 per cent of the survey respondents. The study also discovered that the Caribbean was the top international destination for American travelers with 76.3 per cent of the votes followed by the Rivera Maya and Cancun in Mexico, with 51.2 per cent and 49.3 per cent respectively.
Roger E. Block, executive vice-president of the Carlson Wagonlit Travel Associate Division, said the market for leisure travel is growing steadily, in spite of natural disasters and global crises.
INCREASE IN STOPOVERS
Preliminary figures from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) for 2005 revealed that Jamaica had approximately 1.5 million stopover visitors, a 4.6 per cent increase since 2004, and more than a million cruise passenger arrivals, a 3.3 per cent increase since last year.
The JTB expects the 2005/2006 winter tourist season to be the best ever for the island.
