The Wall Street Journal likens the World Travel Awards to the Oscars of the global travel and tourism industry, and earlier this week, the group named Jamaica as the world’s leading cruise destination for the fourth consecutive year.
The island nation also received its fifth win for the Caribbean’s leading cruise destination, and Ocho Rios was named the leading port in the Caribbean.
Travel professionals from nearly 200,000 companies and tourism organizations in 160 countries vote every year on the top destinations.
“Without a doubt, our success at the World Travel Awards must be attributed to the increasing diversity of experiences that we have to offer cruise visitors,” said William Tatham, of the Port Authority in Jamaica. “We have everything from shopping and historical tours, to high impact adventures and that allows Jamaica to connect with almost every passenger on a cruise ship in ways no other destination can.”
Ocho Rios may have some competition in the future, though, since construction will soon begin for a new port in Falmouth, Jamaica. The new port will be in-itself a tourist destination, and will be able to accommodate the newest megaships like Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas.