St Ann Is Booming. But the Centre Is Shifting

The numbers behind Jamaica’s short-term rental boom point to a deeper shift, one that is quietly reshaping where demand is building and how money is moving

Photo by Leon Campbell on Unsplash

Snapshot

St Ann records the highest average earnings per listing in Jamaica
Kingston and St Andrew hold the largest concentration of short-term rental supply
Montego Bay ranks third and is showing early signs of market maturity
A new tourism corridor is forming along the north coast, from Ocho Rios through Mammee Bay to Salem and beyond
Major events, nightlife, and attractions are increasingly concentrated along this strip
Platform changes, including direct-to-bank payouts by Airbnb, are improving cash flow for hosts
National supply is expanding at roughly 25 to 30 percent year on year
Average annual revenues range from US$15,000 to US$20,000 per listing
Occupancy levels typically fall between 35 and 60 percent depending on market conditions

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Short-term rentals have moved firmly into the centre of Jamaica’s tourism economy, accounting for a growing share of visitor accommodation and reshaping how travellers experience the island. But while the headline figures suggest a simple hierarchy of earnings and listings, the underlying data points to something more dynamic. A new centre of gravity is forming along the north coast, driven not only by tourism demand but by infrastructure, lifestyle, and the increasing ease with which hosts can operate and scale.