Opposition spokesperson on Tourism Shahine Robinson worries that Jamaica is under-performing when compared to other Caribbean destinations.
Robinson noted: “Jamaica’s five per cent growth for the first quarter of 2015 falls well below several of our regional competitors, including Cuba at 14.1 per cent; Dominican Republic 7.4 per cent; Aruba 19.7 per cent; Curaçao 10.3 per cent; and Barbados at 11.1 per cent.” These destinations, she said, registered those growth rates in roughly the same period as Jamaica.
This has been a strong concern by this medium for years, and we have consistently pointed to the need to improve the product.
For years Jamaican Authorities has basically rested on their laurels, believing that brand Jamaica alone will bring hordes of visitors flocking to our shores.
For decades after Cuba was blockaded by The United States , Jamaica enjoyed tremendous fruits from Tourism it really had not earned.
During that time Destinations like the Bahamas , and US Virgin Islands continued to see massive returns from their Tourism product.
Neither of the two parties Administrations demonstrated the vision to massively transform the product. Like every other sector of the economy successive Administrations simply sucked resources from the sector without undertaking the serious upgrades to keep the product competitive.
Meanwhile Cuba is back as a destination , just 90 miles off our coast. Despite marginal increase in tourists visiting Jamaica, the financial benefit to our people became consistently less and less.
Not only have they neglected to adequately improve Jamaica as a realistic Tourism destination the
Country has consistently lost ground due to a seriess of issues.
As such even though there may be more people coming to our shores, the actual dollar count derived is not what it ought to be.
♦ Crime.
♦ Harassment.
These two issues in particular has caused tourists to be compressed into all inclusive resorts which are owned by large corporations and foreign interests.
This has literally shut out small villas and guest houses, concentrating monies derived from the industry into fewer and fewer hands. Small restaurants , cafes, novelty stores, and craft shops can no longer depend on tourists to support their businesses.
Most of their purchases are now done at in-bond stores.
Some of the prime venues in Montego Bay, Ochio Rios and Port Antonio are no longer operational. Additionally the Nation’s second City of Montego Bay, the former epic center of Caribbean tourism, is now a shell of it’s former glory.
UN-planned , illegal settlements have sprung up all around the city, bringing massive crime and other social ills to the once pristine yet rustic western city.
Despite Jamaica’s inability to develop a forward-leaning tourism product, tourists continue to flock to Jamaica.
The numbers though nothing to scoff at, are not what they could be had authorities created a less myopic approach.
Revenue derived from Tourism could be more equitably dispersed creating a better standard of living for locals.
Jamaica’s tourism has survived despite neglect from the authorities. Whether this will continue remains to be seen.
Though not a betting man , I am willing to wager that with Cuba now open for tourism, there will be a massive explosion of tourists to that Island.
That will potentially pose serious challenges to Jamaica’s ability to maintain it’s current level of arrivals , much less increase them.
Time will tell.