JAMAICA: Gov't Working To Diversify Tourism Sector

Portia Simpson addressing the 14th Sandals Resorts International Travel Awards at Sandals Whitehouse Resort in Westmoreland

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.

JAMAICA: Gov't To Earn From Sports Tourism

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller is encouraging partnership in order to better position Jamaica to tap into the multibillion global sports industry.

She noted that sports entrepreneurship is an area that is ripe for development and which could generate significant earnings and other benefits for the economy.

The prime minister underscored these points in a speech read by Minister with responsibility for Sport Natalie Neita Headley, during Wednesday’s commissioning of the new running track at the GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport in Angels, St Catherine.

The new track was constructed at a cost of approximately $171 million by German manufacturer, BSW Regupol, through funding from the Sports Development Foundation (SDF).

Simpson Miller said sport continues to generate the “biggest revenue slice” of global tourism earnings which, she noted, totalled approximately US$7.58 trillion between 2006 and 2014.

In light of this, she said, Jamaica must give more than “passing attention” to developing sports tourism as major part of “ensuring continued growth in our tourism sector”.

Simpson Miller said Government is positioning Jamaica to earn from sports tourism through the launch of Jamaica Sport. The initiative aims to bring more sport-focused events to Jamaica and market the country as a major sports destination, which, it is anticipated, will boost tourist arrivals.

The Prime Minister said GC Foster College, as Jamaica’s sole sports training tertiary institution, along with the Sligoville stadium in St Catherine, and Trelawny multipurpose stadium, “will be important parts of this focus to market the sports component of brand Jamaica.”