60 years of Jamaica

The anniversary also gives the island a chance to look back at its history retrospectively, reflecting on the milestones and achievements its has enjoyed over the past 60 years. These include Kingston hosting the Commonwealth Games in 1966, achieving half a million visitors in 1973 and Prince Harry’s visit in 2012 to mark the 50^th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence.

Visit Jamaica Tourist Board on stand CA340 to learn more about the 60^th Anniversary.

Throughout the years there have been a multitude of awards, milestones and “firsts” for the island, including the following:

- 1953 Jamaica started using promotional films

- 1955 The birth of the JTB in its current form represented the start of a very special journey, welcoming the world to Jamaica’s beautiful shores and to the warmth of her people, which define the ‘Home of All Right’

- 1960s The eight- storey Casa Montego Hotel was built, hailed as Jamaica’s first “skyscraper” hotel

- 1963/64 Jamaica started using television commercials, the island was the first in the region to do so

- 1966 Kingston, Jamaica hosted the Commonwealth Games, finishing with a number of silver and bronze medals including both the 110 yards relay and 80 metres hurdles. The JTB used the prowess of their athletes to market Destination Jamaica

- 1973 Achieved the half million visitor mark for the first time in the industry’s history

- 1979 The JTB was placed among the top five tourist boards in a New York Times survey

- 1983 The JTB was a winner at the UK Travel Awards for their advertising

- 1984 Appointment of Carrole Guntley, the first female Director of Tourism

- 1987 A total of 1,037,634 visitors arrived to the island, making Jamaica the first Caribbean country to welcome one million visitors in a 12- month period

- 1988 Played host to the first Hot Air Balloon Festival of Jamaica in Montpelier

- 1999 Jamaica welcomed the world’s largest cruise ship, the “Voyager of the Seas,” with a capacity of 3,600 passengers

- 1994 For the first time, the “One Love” commercial was broadcast worldwide through Cable 24 News Network and CNN

- 1998 The Jamaican “Reggae Boyz” football team was the first English speaking Caribbean nation to qualify for the World Cup finals in France, a feat the nation were proud to celebrate. The JTB was appointed to handle publicity for the “Reggae Boyz” trip to France

- 2006 First time Jamaica was named the World’s Leading Cruise Destination at the World Travel Awards

- 2007 The JTB was awarded for being the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist and Convention Bureau

- 2008 Jamaica achieved huge success at The Beijing Olympics with Usain Bolt breaking his third world record and the team winning numerous medals. The JTB were heavily involved in raising and maintaining public interest in the Jamaican athletes

- 2008- 2011 The JTB/ Jamaica received numerous awards. Among them were: World’s Leading Honeymoon Destination; Caribbean’s Leading Sports Tourism Destination and the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board

- 2012 Marked the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s independence. During this time, HRH Prince Harry visited the island, meeting with Usain Bolt and Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller. The JTB was part of the planning committee for the royal visit and the visit gave a major boost to the destination’s image

- 2014: For the eighth consecutive year, the Board was named the Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board at the World Travel Awards