Page 10 - ASUTIL 2024 Edition

INSIDER

Puerto Rico tourism flourishes with higher airlift

Passenger traffic at San Juan’s Luis
Muñoz Marin Airport (SJU) in Puerto Rico
soared for another month in April, the latest
month reported by airport operator ASUR
as we go to press. Frontier Airlines
Passenger traffic grew 9.4% year-on- celebrated the
year compared to April 2023 in San Juan, opening of a new
reaching total traffic of 1.035 million. crew base at San
International traffic rose by 9.2%, and was Juan’s Luis Muñoz
up 19.2% for the first four months of the Marin Airport in
year compared to the same period in 2023. Puerto Rico on
This growth continues a trend June 5.
that gained momentum last year, when
international traffic at San Juan was up by
40.9% for the full year.
Expanded service from airlines such
as JetBlue and Frontier are fueling the announced plans to expand service from Puerto Rico, launching seven new routes
growth in Puerto Rico. San Juan with the addition of six new in early May to San Juan, Aguadilla, and
At the end of May, JetBlue Airways destinations across the U.S. East Coast, the Ponce. On May 11, the airline also began
announced the establishment of a new Caribbean and Latin America. international service from Luis Muñoz
pilot and flight attendant crew base at Luis By this winter, JetBlue will offer Marin Airport (SJU) to Cancun (CUN), the
Muñoz Marín International Airport, that nonstop service between Puerto Rico and sole carrier for this route.
will open by the end of this year. 18 cities in the U.S., Latin America and the Frontier is the fastest growing airline
JetBlue is the largest carrier in San Caribbean. in Puerto Rico, offering flights to the
Juan, which is one of the airline’s focus Ultra low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines island’s three main airports, and has more
cities. The news coincides with JetBlue’s is also opening a new crew base at Luis than doubled its seat capacity serving
22nd anniversary of service to the Muñoz Marin Airport this month (June). the island since 2019. Frontier Airlines
island and comes after JetBlue recently Frontier has expanded significantly in continues to add new routes within the
Caribbean out of its new base in San Juan,
from which it already serves St Croix, St
Jamaica follows record-breaking 2023 with more Maarten and Cancun, and is now adding
Barbados and the Dominican Republic.
than 2 million visitors to-date in 2024 In addition, Avianca is continuing
flights between San Juan and Medellin
throughout the year and both Iberia (with
More than two million people have the prosperity of our island and people.” flights between Madrid and San Juan)
visited Jamaica so far in 2024, more than Following a significant bounce back in and Copa are increasing flights during the
ever reported during the period of January arrivals post-pandemic, travelers continued summer.
to May. These results follow a record- to visit Jamica in 2023, especially those
breaking 2023 with 4.1 million visitors from the U.S., where arrivals were up Cruise sector also grows
and 25.5% year-over-year increase in total 16.2% compared to 2022. Puerto Rico’s cruise sector is also
visitation compared to 2022. All four major U.S. regions reported experiencing healthy growth, with
“Our recent tourism data is a a large uptick in travelers headed to increases in both the number of ships and
testament to our ongoing resilience and Jamaica, with the Midwest noting a 23.3% passengers arriving at all Puerto Rico ports.
support from our cherished partners,” said increase, the West 16.8%, the South 15%, During the first three months of this year,
Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, and the Northeast 14.5%. A majority of an estimated 545,564 passengers arrived,
Jamaica. “This historic start to 2024, as U.S. travelers hailed from New York, with an increase of 3.4% over cruise arrivals in
well as last year’s notable rise in arrivals, more than 350,000 New Yorkers paying the first quarter of 2023.
is a result of our island’s vibrant spirit the island a visit, followed by Floridians, January was a particularly active
as well as various factors like additional 326,633 of whom visited in 2023. month with a 20.6% increase in passengers
airline seats, new hotel rooms, and growing Jamaica is expecting to add 2,000 new compared to 2023. Overall projections for
interest from travelers around the world. hotel rooms to the island’s capacity, with this year reflect a possible 8% increase in
To date, we have generated $1.9 billion in new offerings from Princess, Hard Rock passenger arrivals and a 2.2% increase in
revenue this year and looking ahead, we are Hotels, Secrets and Viva Wyndham over cruise ship visits, for an estimated total of
on track to bring almost $5 billion to our the next two year over 1.4 million passengers on 466 voyages
economy by 2025 – contributing directly to by 26 cruise lines.

ASUTIL Special Issue June 2024 10