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WITH the United States having issued a travel alert against Kingston on Monday, tourism officials are once again encouraging Jamaicans to enjoy the capital as part of its 'Experience Jamaica' campaign.
The US warned its citizens about the potential for violence and advises those travelling to and from the airport to avoid Mountain View Road and instead travel via South Camp Road, nearby the area of the current curfew.
Although the US is advising its citizens to "exercise heightened security awareness and maintain a low profile", the State of Emergency and curfews remain limited to specific sections of downtown Kingston only.
“The city of Kingston is culturally rich – the city boasts over 30 attractions including the Bob Marley Museum, Hope Gardens and the newly renovated Devon House. Plus this summer will see several major events taking place in the city. The Experience Jamaica Programme will highlight all of these facilities and will really give us a chance to enjoy our homeland," said Deputy Director of Tourism David Shields at the launch of the campaign today.
The campaign encourages Jamaicans to be 'dry land tourists' and offers discounts ranging between 5-50 per cent. The number of participating has increased from 65 last year to 100 in 2010.
All six resort areas are represented in the programme, which hopes to take advantage of the summer holiday period.
“This is the start of the summer period with many Jamaicans coming home for the holidays. Many school groups also organise day trips and with the Emancipation and Independence holidays just a few weeks away, this is an excellent time to offer discounts to our people. We are convinced that the Experience Jamaica programme will offer excellent value to Jamaicans while driving business to our industry partners," said Director of Tourism John Lynch.