Jamaican News

Church Service Marks Start of Winter Tourist Season

Prominent member of the Montego Bay New Testament Church of God, Nordraka Williams receives a warm embrace from Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett on Sunday December 11, 2016 as the church hosted a service in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies in observance of the start of the 2016/17 winter tourist season. In his address to the congregation, the Minister shared that tourism remained the engine of growth in the country, with annual earnings of some US$2.5 billion.
Prominent member of the Montego Bay New Testament Church of God, Nordraka Williams receives a warm embrace from Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett on Sunday December 11, 2016 as the church hosted a service in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies in observance of the start of the 2016/17 winter tourist season. In his address to the congregation, the Minister shared that tourism remained the engine of growth in the country, with annual earnings of some US$2.5 billion.

We are pleased with the progress being made in the tourism sector.  The attainment of over 3 million visitors is no small achievement.  There is room for further growth, but we have work to do. Crime  or the perception is an issue which needs cleaning up.

Attacks on tourists are rare but when the foreign press links lotto scamming to gang fued which leads to deaths then an unsafe environment is created.

Stake

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) converses with Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook (left) ahead of the church service on Sunday December 11, 2016, which commemorated the start of the 2016/17 Winter Tourist Season. Sharing in the moment, at the Montego Bay New Testament Church, is the Minister’s wife Carmen.  In his address to the congregation, the Minister shared that tourism remained the engine of growth in the country, with annual earnings of some US$2.5 billion.
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) converses with Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook (left) ahead of the church service on Sunday December 11, 2016, which commemorated the start of the 2016/17 Winter Tourist Season. Sharing in the moment, at the Montego Bay New Testament Church, is the Minister’s wife Carmen.  In his address to the congregation, the Minister shared that tourism remained the engine of growth in the country, with annual earnings of some US$2.5 billion.

Visitors need to feel safe at all times.  It is good that Government is tackling the crime issue.  There needs to be public education which should target the scammers and youths. They need to be told that any activity that sends a negative image of Jamaica to the world will affect  Brand Jamaica.

Tourism dollars need to be seen to be filtering down and through the Tourism areas in particular.  People will ask, what is in it for me? Locals must feel they have a stake in the success of the tourism sector.  From to tot to the senior citizen.

We wish the sector success. Minister Bartlett and team are  doing a great job.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.

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