Jamaica has welcomed the arrival of the first direct flight from Nigeria, opening up new tourism opportunities for the Caribbean destination.

Onboard, Nigeria minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, said Jamaica could be “the next big thing” for travellers from the African country.

Around 140 passengers were on board the first flight, which touched down at Sangster International Airport.

“We really expect to see tourism take off in a big way,” said Onyeama, “we believe that Jamaica is the next big thing for us as far as tourism is concerned.”

In turn, Jamaica minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett, lauded the historic arrival of the flight.

In stressing its significance, he said: “Historical and cultural ties between Nigeria and Jamaica date back to the days of slavery and many Jamaicans today have their ancestral roots in that African country.”

He added: “We have been working together to bring this to fruition for some time and I am pleased that we have opened yet another gateway, which provides scope for the added growth of our tourism sector and the forging of greater bonds between both countries.”