Desmond HenryTREASURE BEACH: Minister of State for Tourism, Wykeham McNeill, is reported over last weekend as saying, "Golf is great fuel for tourism". As an academic statement give him an A, but as an expression of practical achievement give Jamaica a D-minus. Truth is, that as a hospitality marketing destination with a highly recognised and adorable brand name, Jamaica should be ashamed of its inability to take advantage of the things we have going for us.
Golf is just one segment of the many opportunities in Special Interest marketing that we have failed to do anything about, and as a result will lose ground to other regional competitors. For some time now, the Jamaica Golf Association and others, who have written and spoken about tourism marketing, have pointed out the overwhelmingly bright prospects for golf tourism, if only someone in authority would show even just an interest. Last year I wrote a piece on how North Carolina in the United States had, in just one year, completed some 14 new 18-hole courses for no other reason than to begin to capitalise on this growing and distinctly made-for-television sport.
The fact that its leading personality, Tiger Woods, literally draws an army of spectators wherever he goes, merely adds fuel to the opportunistic fire of urgency. It remains hard to be convinced why Jamaica could not by now, have had even a curiosity visit by Tiger. Enough is not being done. As a hobby activity, golf is growing by leaps and bounds across the entire world and will sooner or later make lasting economic friends with those who appreciate, welcome and cater to it.
Here in Jamaica the economic potential of golf to our tourism earnings and to jobs in the communities where courses are located is long self-evident. We should be building more courses, putting up more villas and attractions in areas where none now exist, and training our communities to appreciate the real new opportunities in visitor-attraction and spending. In an earlier column, I had made the point that there are many areas across Jamaica, where Government-owned lands would be ideal for golf development as a stimulus for economic growth. What was needed, I pointed out, was a policy of legitimate trade-off of land for capital between the Government and potential investors. Within a specific tax-incentive moratorium, the courses could be developed, cottages built, course-keepers employed and trained, community attractions identified, and a whole host of income-earning potentials appraised for community participation. On the question of environmental validity, there are few outdoor activities that develop and beautify the environment like a well-managed golf course. It is one of the world's best man-made environmental attractions.
But golf is just one segment in the broader area of special interest marketing in which we have been extremely delinquent. In the wider category of sports, for example, we inexcusably missed the bus when the World Olympics came next door to Atlanta a few years ago. When we qualified for the World Cup football, we raised our recognition level all right, but behaved so amateurishly that many of us were embarrassed. Hundreds of 'soccer moms' in the US are looking for warm camps to take their kids for clinics and initial training. The same is true of basketball and US football teams that are looking for collaborative get-aways to recap and plan for the future, after their regular seasons end and before training starts up. Do we even think of, much less position Jamaica for these opportunities? I don't think so.
Minister McNeill, unless and until we recognise and understand the uniqueness of special-interest marketing and develop a programme to do something about it, we will continue to do no more than hold up our buckets in the marketing air, with the hope that manna from heaven will fall in them. Mr. Minister, you need to take charge of this effort and recruit around you a set of bright creative minds that understand the power and legitimacy of sports marketing. When you add to that this country's potential in gourmet cooking (spices) and entertainment (music) marketing, you really are looking at vastly new untapped and unexplored areas with huge potentials for growth, earnings and jobs. There is now, for example, a new wheat muffin in US supermarkets by one of that country's leading manufacturers of baked products. It is called 'Raggamuffin' - direct take-off of that phrase so widely associated with that popular destination, brand Jamaica. We continue to bask and dwindle in our common tradition of thinking that because something is said, it is automatically done.
TRANQUILITY BAY
Attended one of the most sincere and moving staff anniversary celebrations ever, at the Tranquility Bay human correctional centre here in Treasure Beach, recently.
Some 200-odd employees in an unscheduled tribute to CEO Jay Kay, brought uncontrolled tears to his eyes with expressions of love and sincerity, seldom seen in boss/employee relationships. In a way, it demonstrated why this envied institution is so highly successful, and continues to grow from strength to strength. In terms of unit employment, Tranquility Bay is exceeded perhaps only by Alpart in these parts, as the largest employer of quality and diversity. Its local economic impact continues to be huge.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Occasional failure is usually part of the price of boldness.
Desmond Henry is a marketing strategist based in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth.
