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The following is part two of the edited version of the sectoral presentation made in Parliament by the Minister of Tourism, Ed Bartlett.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
The product is the environment and one of the biggest threats to the environment is poverty. We must also acknowledge that the future of tourism investment and development is contingent on a more responsible approach to balancing growth with environmental sustainability.
The GOJ must be committed to ensuring that the mechanisms for development and enforcement satisfy our obligation to the environment, while improving the economic conditions of our people.
In growing our tourism product, we have seen the addition of spectacular new hotels and attractions, and some very stylish enhancements to existing properties.
This year, we expect to expand our room count from 27,000 to 30,000. We expect the following rooms to come on stream:
. RIU Montego Bay (700)
. Iberostar (650)
. Fiesta (950)
. Spanish Court Hotel (112)
. Palmyra Rose Hall (643)
. Trident (28 on record)
Over the next three to five years, the following accommodation facilities are expected to come on stream:
. Amaterra
. DeCameraon
. Negril Peninsula
. Bahia Principe
. Grupo Excelencias
. Secrets
. Dragon Bay
Casinos will be a critical component in the growing luxury market as we further diversify our entertainment experiences to attract the lucrative high-end market. The two mega resorts which have indicated interest in operating casinos ¬Celebration Jamaica and Harmony Cove ¬ will add over 10,000 new luxury rooms to our accommodation stock.
Casino hotels have higher employment ratios than traditional EP and All-Inclusive properties. So with a conversion rate of 2.5, these two properties are expected to employ about 25 000 workers. Earnings to the government from these two properties could be in excess 30 billion Jamaican dollars per year. Jamaica will not be a casino-gambling destination. Rather, gaming will be a part of the entertainment experience in tourism.
THE NEW FRONTIERS
These represent the mega project that will be coming on stream but the indigenous sector is fuelled by the small and medium tourism enterprises and it is our commitment to reposition them. In that regard, the Ministry of Tourism and the JHTA have developed a raft of programme to provide
. Technical Assistance
. Financial Assistance
. Marketing Support
We plan to help with funding to implement upgrades, improve competitiveness, and achieve long-term profitability.
The JHTA in association with the Inter-American Development Bank, the JTB and the TPDCo, are undertaking a 30-month programme to increase the competitiveness of small hotels.
The programme is designed to create a network of small hotels and villas and is intended to improve their tourism services and product delivery to world-class standards. The project includes a comprehensive training programme for owners and managers, including marketing skills and environmental management. Hotels with similar characteristics are being clustered and branded, so as to facilitate the marketing of these properties. A special website is being developed, as well as other promotional materials.
SPRUCE UP JAMAICA, NICE UP YUSELF!
The 'Spruce Up Jamaica, Nice Up Yuself' journey is an all-embracing transformational activity, intended to bring all Jamaicans into the circle of people who understand the importance of tourism to his or her personal advancement, as well as to national development.
In the competitive environment in which Destination Jamaica exists, the 'Spruce Up Jamaica, Nice Up Yuself,' programme can help to improve Jamaica's competitive advantage.
The Spruce Up Jamaica, Nice Up Yourself! programme was initiated by our ministry in November 2007. In the period leading up to the start of the 2007/8 tourist season, all resort towns were 'spruced up'.
The first phase of 'Spruce Up' focussed on the physical environment. Verges were cut, sidewalks were cleaned and curb walls painted. Garbage bins were purchased and placed on the streets and citizens came forward to participate in clean-up days.
SUPPORTING OUR ARTISANS
The development of the craft sector is of utmost importance to the diversification of the country's tourism product. In this regard, government will support the network of players in the product-to-market chain. This includes craft producers, vendors, marketing agents, exporters and service providers such as designers, trainers and business development practitioners. All of this is to be co-ordinated and managed by an umbrella organisation to be called the Craft Development Institute (CDI).
Another initiative in support of this sub-sector is the creation of artisan villages. The ministry through TPDCo intends to transform the existing craft shopping experience by establishing these artisan villages in each of the resort areas.
Each village is expected to encompass several elements of a Jamaican cultural experience:
. art and craft stalls,
. traditional cuisine,
. entertainment,
. sporting facilities,
. musical and other cultural offerings.
The objective is that each village would offer a range of options to visitors and provide products that would be desirable to high-end niche markets as well as those visitors seeking more simple reminders of Jamaica. Initially Artisan Villages will be established in Port Antonio, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay. The first village is slated for development on Success Beach in the Elegant Corridor.
FOCUSING ON THE HEALTH
AND WELLNESS MARKET
The 'new tourism' helps us to diversify and explore new frontiers. According to the recent Travel Industry Associations Voice of the Traveller survey, 54% of travellers noted an interest in travel to a spa or a place where they could relax and rejuvenate. Spa travellers are generally high-net-worth customers who contribute to many areas of hospitality revenue by:
. Choosing high-end luxury accommodations;
. Staying longer than most other guests;
. Patronising the best restaurants; and
. Shopping at top stores.
I am pleased to announce that Jamaica's first health tourism facility will be built at Rose Hall in Montego Bay
The ministry has responsibility for two therapeutic spas, both of which are slated for upgrading. One hundred and fifty million has been allocated for upgrading The Milk River Bath & Spa in Clarendon while J$100 m has been allocated for upgrading at Bath Fountain Hotel & Spa in St Thomas. Work is expected to begin shortly at both properties.
GROWING THE LUXURY TRAVEL MARKET
In search of an exquisite travel experience and a vacation to carve memories that will last a lifetime, luxury travellers expect maximum comfort, extreme pampering, and read-my-mind service.
The 'Elegant Corridor' in the Rose Hall area will be enhanced to make it the most complete resort area. A total of J$50 million is being provided by TEF to provide traffic lights to ensure the safety of our residents and visitors. Landscaping will be a new project in conjunction with the property owners of the 'Elegant Corridor', and has been allocated J$220 million.
MONTEGO BAY CONVENTION CENTRE
With the growth in room stock in Montego Bay and with the bourgeoning convention business we have taken the strategic decision to construct a 75,000 sq feet state-of-the-art convention centre to be located on 35 acres of land in Rose Hall. This facility will have capabilities for hosting large and small meetings, conferences, exhibitions, banquets and other events. It will be designed in a scalable fashion to allow for flexibility in its offering
GOLF AS AN INGREDIENT IN LUXURY TOURISM
There are some 60 million golfers in the world, of which about 32 million live in our primary tourist-producing market, North America. Golf provides a unique selling point for any tourist destination. Jamaica has all the ingredients necessary to exploit this opportunity:
. Proximity to the world's largest outbound market;
. Excellent climate all year round;
. Good airlift and great access to major golf resorts from Sangster International Airport;
. Twelve world class golf courses;
. Highly trained caddies.
We are committed to making Jamaica a much sought after golf destination.
Vacation ownership is another area of significant growth. This segment also includes timeshare development and fractional ownership. There is a huge demand and significant potential for timeshare products in the Caribbean.
We've been pursuing the feasibility of encouraging new investment into the development of these non-traditional vacation facilities. Jamaica already has foreign-direct investments conceptualised around mixed-use development, including Palmyra, Harmony Cove, the Negril Peninsula, AM Resorts, and others. Also, luxury hotels like Ritz Carlton, Fiesta and Iberostar have the potential to offer timeshare. The high demand for Jamaica's Palmyra development speaks to the high interest in vacation residences.
CALL TO ACTION
In closing, I cannot underscore sufficiently that action today is crucial to success tomorrow. Tourism is the engine that drives our economy, and represents the primary factor in determining the quality of life for each and every one of us in Jamaica.
You don't have to be an hotelier, a restaurateur, an attraction operator or a tour guide to benefit from tourism. Every bus driver, every farmer, every mechanic, every postal worker, every homemaker needs the support that tourism provides in order to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle in this, our precious homeland.
It is therefore in the interest of every single Jamaican to play his or her part in making and keeping this country the leading Caribbean tourist destination and one of the top choices for tourism at the global level.
Working together is crucial to progress. In the ministry, we are proud that the reaction of the people to our Spruce Up Jamaica programme was one of enthusiasm, energy and immediate action, resulting in a fresh new look for each participating community. It represents a major step in a move towards improvement of our physical environment, and is a splendid example of the impact we can make by developing and working together with individual communities.
Similarly, our human resources development programme and communications programme are geared to sparking energised participation in projects that will support Jamaica and the quality of life here for each of us.
Supporting our tourism product is key at every level. Whether you're building a 500-room hotel or adding one guestroom to your inn, whether you're introducing a new waste disposal system or simply bending down to pick up an abandoned soda can from the street, whether you are landscaping a city or painting your own front door, every action, every gesture, every effort is of prime importance to our progress.
So I ask this of you now: please join us to ensure that Jamaica:
. Is and remains the place where we want to live above all others;
. Offers a way of life we love now and always;
. Supports us with sufficient income for our current and future needs;
. Provides a secure future for our children;
. Is safe and free of crime;
. Is clean, fresh and orderly in appearance;
. Provides a balanced environment with rich natural resources;
. Is always welcoming to visitors needing our brand of hospitality;
. Is and remains a place of irresistible charm!
Mr Speaker, with people at the centre, tourism will make a positive difference to each of our lives.
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