Jamaica is being urged to accelerate investment in sports infrastructure and position sports tourism as a key pillar of national development. Speaking at the Made4Goal Jamaica Global Sports Summit, Tourism Director Donovan White said strategic investments can boost economic growth, create jobs, attract international events, and strengthen local communities.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica must move more aggressively to invest in sports infrastructure and position sports tourism as a key driver of national development if it is to capitalize on one of the world’s fastest-growing travel markets, Director of Tourism Donovan White has said.
Speaking at the Made4Goal Jamaica Global Sports Summit at the University of Technology (UTech), White outlined a vision to establish Jamaica as the Caribbean’s leading sports tourism destination.
Addressing delegates under the topic, “Beyond the Beach: Reimagining Brand Jamaica Through Sports,” White said Jamaica’s internationally recognized sporting reputation provides an opportunity to diversify the country’s tourism offerings beyond its traditional appeal of beaches, culture and hospitality.
“Sports tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of the global travel industry and Jamaica is exceptionally well endowed to claim its share of this rapidly expanding market. However, to do so, investors must intentionally invest in the infrastructure that allows sports tourism to flourish,” White said.
The global sports tourism market, valued at an estimated US$804 billion in 2025, is projected to exceed US$2.7 trillion by 2033, underscoring the sector’s significant growth potential.
White argued that investments in upgraded stadiums, training facilities, community playing fields, athlete accommodations, and high-performance centers should be viewed as national development priorities rather than simply sporting projects.
“Every investment in sports infrastructure is an investment in economic development. It creates opportunities to host international competitions, attract overseas training camps, increase visitor spending, and generate employment in communities across the island,” he said.
The Jamaica Tourist Board has already backed several sporting events, including the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament and the Pan American Men’s Lacrosse Qualifier, citing their contribution to hotel occupancy, local business spending, and Jamaica’s international profile.
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White also pointed to the growing potential of cycling tourism and the Jamaica Premier League (JPL) as engines of economic activity. He noted that the football league provides approximately 45 weeks of international exposure each year and has generated an estimated J$780 million in revenue while supporting more than 1,100 direct and indirect jobs over the past six years.
“This sustained visibility creates opportunities to position Jamaica as a premier destination for international sporting events and training camps. But to capitalize on these opportunities, we must continue to improve and expand our sporting infrastructure,” White added.
The tourism director said the strategy aligns with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett’s Tourism 3.0 vision, which seeks to foster innovation while ensuring the tourism industry delivers greater benefits to Jamaicans. It also supports the ministry’s “local first” policy by strengthening local supply chains, expanding opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises, creating jobs for young people, and retaining more tourism earnings in local communities.
White stressed that achieving Jamaica’s sports tourism ambitions will require collaboration among government agencies, sporting organizations, private sector stakeholders, development partners, the Jamaican diaspora, and local communities to fully harness sport as a catalyst for tourism, economic growth, and national transformation.
