'Butch' predicts hotel lay-offs

Stewart

WESTERN BUREAU:

TOURISM MOGUL Gordon "Butch" Stewart yesterday predicted massive lay-offs in the hotel industry over the next three months because of the Government's slow response to problems affecting the sector.

He said the US$20 million needed to undertake a massive advertising campaign overseas to repair Jamaica's tarnished image arising from the recent violence in Kingston could soar to US$30 million by year's-end if the Government did not move faster to contain the problem.

Addressing the Rotary Club of Montego Bay at its regular meeting at the Sandals Inn Hotel yesterday, Stewart said the Government's move to start an overseas advertising campaign was already one month late and predicted the coming months of September, October and November would be hard hit.

Following the upsurge of violence in West Kingston between July 7 and 10, Jamaica received major negative reports on international networks, forcing the Tourism Ministry to request US$20 million to execute an advertising blitz. The Cabinet, however, granted only US$5 million.

Commenting on the state of the industry, Mr. Stewart said: "We have a calamity on our hands and this is not something which started last month, but something which has been neglected for a number of years. Jamaica is a brand name and I don't believe the people who are suppose to protect the brand understand how important it is to keep Jamaica's name unblemished and untarnished. Jamaica has cancer in its tourism right now."

He charged that for the past three to four years, the neglect, which Jamaica has had with advertising, is taking chances with the brand.

"The little advertising that we have had to promote and protect Jamaica is an embarrassment."

He said it was the Sandals, SuperClubs and other hotel chains, which had been primarily driving the Jamaican market and not the Jamaica Tourist Board.

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