THE EDITOR, Sir:
PROBABLY THE best news for Jamaica right now is that the preliminary stopover arrival figures for December 2002 are not only positive compared to 2001 by 20 per cent but more importantly are better than 2000 arrivals by six per cent.
The outlook for the rest of the winter season is also positive based on the preliminary bookings being reported from most hotels and unless there is a turnaround due to some major negative event such as another war in the Middle East the present view in the industry is cautiously optimistic.
In addition to the current positive trend, the winter advertising in North America and Europe by the Jamaica Tourist Board and some of the major hotel chains and individual properties will be launched this month and will continue through March of 2003 to support the buoyancy.
In spite of these expectations, the importance of ensuring that we continue to improve our tourism product and spread the benefits to a wider cross-section of the society via the integration of communities islandwide is more important than ever.
The expansion and addition of more of our rich heritage, culture and magnificent natural environs as an integral part of our tourism product is urgently needed to not only provide a more attractive experience-based product but more importantly for our own education and pride.
Tourism can and must play a more significant role in providing sustainable jobs for our people not only in areas directly related to the hotel sector. In particular, we must focus on providing more opportunities for our artists, craftsmen, entertainers and a whole host of Jamaicans who have skills that can be honed by targeted training and human resource development programmes aimed at developing our skills to provide goods and services linked to heritage and cultural tourism.
If we focus more of our resources on the development of this vast heritage and cultural tourism potential in the Historic Triangle (Kingston, Port Royal & Spanish Town), Falmouth, Black River, Port Antonio, Seville, Morant Bay, Savanna-La-Mar and others of our historic towns, the positive economic and socio-cultural effect will make a tremendous impact on addressing our number one priority which is tackling crime and violence.
In the final analysis, sustainable development and economic growth of Jamaica must include the development of our heritage and cultural resources to a much greater extent.
I am etc.,
ROBERT (BOBBY) STEPHENS,
President Pragma Consultants Ltd.
bspragma@hotmail.com
