Minister Bartlett Tours Negril
Commentary
Improve Your Properties
We hail those stakeholders who see the need to improve their properties and product offerings in general. The attached picture story speaks volumes of how we need to always continuously update our tourism product.
Five Million Visitors
If we buy into the expressed view of Tourism Minister Bartlett of aiming at attracting five million visitors by say 2017 or soon after, and provide all round employment in the tourist sector … then we have no choice but to see upgrading of say properties and attractions as a way of life. Further tax incentives will help in this upgrading.
We are in a competitive environment and tourists have choices. We therefore need to bear this in mind. Let us not get overly sentimental and feel that visitors have to visit a super destination like say Jamaica, because they love us. We hope they do, but we need to do more.
Security
Too much cannot be said about creating an atmosphere for safety and a feeling of real security. Discourage by public education the cancer of tourism harassment. We can do better without such a nuicance.
The proposed pension p!an for tourism workers must be defended by a good tourism product and us contuously upgading our services.
Jamaica, like many other destinations in the Caribbean region have great offerings.
The six million Jamaican dollars used to upgrade some properties recently in Negril is a great move. Let us protect what we have.
Commentary by Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie, Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper.
