Simpson Miller to take tourism to the public

WESTERN BUREAU: TOURISM MINISTER Portia Simpson Miller's agenda for moving the industry forward is to create a partnership between major industry players and the people of Jamaica.

The Minister's crusade to take tourism to the people began in Montego Bay last Thursday where she met with major tourism interests to get an appreciation of existing problems and hear ideas on how best to move forward.

"We need a transformation and re-socialisation in this country," she said. "The rest of the world is not going to sit back and relax and wait on Jamaica to catch up."

Some industry players welcomed the Minister's approach saying it could galvanise everyone to work on the same plain and should translate into meaningful growth for the industry.

"It's a very different approach from what we are used to getting from the tourism ministry. Of all the tourism ministers she sounds like the one to reach out to the people and get significant results in return," Joanne Robertson, chapter chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association told The Gleaner.

Using the old line "tourism is our business", Mrs. Simpson Miller said the industry has become more competitive and needed the input of the entire population so that Jamaica "may rise to become the premier destination of the world".

While she did not outline any major new programmes, preferring to wait until her presentation in the Sectoral Debate, Mrs. Simpson promised follow-up meetings with sector leaders.

"I feel pretty confident that she is sincere in her commitment to actually take the stuff we outlined seriously and in the subsequent meetings to come up with some concrete action plan," said Horace Peterkin, general manager of Sandals Montego Bay.

And despite the forecast of disappointing bookings that heralded the start of the 1999-2000 winter tourist season, the Minister said the sector managed to earn US$1.2 billion in revenue. But the earnings from this vital industry could increase tremendously, she said, if the entire population was willing to champion its cause. "I think the majority of Jamaicans feel that tourism is just for foreigners and we want to take tourism to the people and let them be a part of it so that they can enjoy some of the benefits," she said.

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