CARIBBEAN/JAMAICA: 10 per cent jump expected in tourism revenue

10 per cent jump expected in tourism revenue
 
Observer Reporter
Friday, September 19, 2003
 

GOVERNMENT officials say earnings from the tourism sector are expected to 
increase by 10 per cent, or US$1.342 billion over the figures for 2002, which 
in the post-September 11 world is being used as the benchmark by which to 
judge the industry's performance.

Wykeham McNeill, state minister in the tourism ministry, told Parliament 
Tuesday that total visitor arrivals are on target to increase by almost three 
per cent over the 2002 figures.

Other indices of the improved prospects for the sector, one of Jamaica's 
highest earners of foreign exchange, he said, were:

* an increase in stopover arrivals by seven per cent over the same period in 
2002;

* 144,000 stopover visitors in July -- the highest ever recorded in any given 
month;

* and an increase in room rates, a sign of the growing competitiveness of the 
island as a destination.

McNeill, who was contributing to the sectoral debate, attributed the 
industry's successes to the work of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), the 
Ministry of Tourism and its agencies, hoteliers, tourism workers, craftsmen, 
vendors and other industry players.

The state minister said Jamaica is also benefiting from a turnaround in the 
cruise shipping sector, with the island poised to make history on December 2 
of this year by welcoming its one millionth cruise ship visitor.

For the first quarter of the year, McNeill said, cruise ship passenger 
arrivals had increased by 46.9 per cent over the corresponding period last 
year, with some 364,043 passengers arriving in Jamaica as compared to the 
247,745 in 2002. He added that the number of ships calling at Jamaican ports 
had increased from 130 to 189 in the same period.

Montego Bay, which once had less-than-stellar cruise ship arrival figures, 
had experienced a 94 per cent increase in cruise shipping in the first three 
months of the year, McNeill said, with the second city welcoming 82,833 
cruise ship passengers.

And, in addition to plans to expand port facilities and increase the 
diversity of attractions for cruise visitors, the minister reported that 
Princess Cruise Lines, which pulled out of Jamaica some two years ago, is 
"returning to Jamaica with its largest vessel".

An intensive advertising campaign and an innovative marketing strategy will 
be used to pull more visitors to the island where there are ongoing attempts 
to improve every aspect of the tourism product.

Standards and licensing initiatives to improve properties, were boosted last 
year through government's $5 million injection used to upgrade small 
properties, This has resulted in seven hotels, four villas, four guest houses 
and two apartments gaining certification, the minister said, with the 
programme set to continue in the current budget year with an additional $7.5 
million.

In the area of the wider tourism product, McNeill said major efforts would be 
made to clean up resort areas as well as broaden and improve the scope of 
offerings in entertainment and attractions.


SOURCE: Jamaica Observer