Jamaica has been attracting tourists to its shores for over 100 years. Captivated by its tropical climate, miles of powdery white sand beaches, beautiful vistas and majestic mountains and breathtaking valleys, millions of visitors have visited Jamaica to enjoy its beauty and share the hospitality of its people.

Many date the beginning of Jamaica’s Tourism industry to the southbound travel of sun seekers at the end of the 19th century when ships transporting bananas to various metropolitan markets provided a service to travelers drawn to Jamaica’s early resorts. This trend grew significantly with the coming of air travel which made long distance travel more convenient.

Now Jamaica attracts over 2 million tourist annually and tourism contributes over 1.5 billion United States dollars to the economy each year. It is the second most important source of foreign exchange.

Jamaica’s main tourist centers offer a diverse mix of attractions and accommodations catering to travelers from the backpacker to the jet setter. The island boasts a host of attractions including the world famous Dunn’s River Falls with its cascading waterfall’s being a must climb for most visitor’s to Jamaica.
From the bustling capital city Kingston to the quiet newly developing resorts of the South Coast, the attraction of Jamaica’s tourism product appeals to discerning travelers all over the globe.

A February 2005 agreement between Jamaica and China providing for Approved Destination Status for Jamaica has opened the door for Chinese tourists to begin to explore Jamaica’s many attractions through group travel organized by approved travel agencies. Several agencies have already begun to promote Jamaican packages in China and the Embassy has established a system for the issuing of tourist visas to facilitate group travel.