Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller says the government will be working with a number of public-private partners for the long term expansion, development and diversification of the tourism industry.
To this end, Simpson Miller said the Tourism Enhancement Fund, (TEF) has already made major investments in the development of attractions and other tourism-related facilities.
Addressing the 14th annual Sandals Resorts International Star Awards at Sandals Whitehouse Resort in Westmoreland on Saturday, Simpson Miller said under this new thrust to improve the tourism product, the capital city of Kingston will receive major focus.
“Kingston is being repositioned as a creative city, offering great insights into our unique Jamaican culture. Jamaica’s Blue and John Crown Mountain National Park was this year named a world heritage site,” she said.
She added that attention will also be paid to the development of other sites across the island-especially in St Ann, Falmouth and Port Royal.
“We are also developing other outstanding heritage sites. These include Seville (St Ann) where evidence of the British, Spanish and the Taino civilizations are preserved… Falmouth-the most intact example of a Georgian town in the Caribbean and Port Royal with its sunken city and the memory of Pirates and the Caribbean rum and sugar trade,” Simpson Miller said.
The prime minister further noted that the parish of Westmoreland where Sandals Whitehouse Resort is located, has its fair share of heritage sites and is urging the management of the resort to immediately move to include cultural tourism in its business mix.
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