Bartlett

Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

WESTERN BUREAU:

Less than 24 hours after the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) voiced concerns about the tourism allocation in the 2007/2008 Budget, shadow minister for the sector, Edmund Bartlett, has called for a double digit increase.

Mr. Bartlett said the $10 million increase to the annual budget suggested by the JHTA must be solely allocated to advertising and marketing if the country expects to make-up its projected US$12 million loss.

"We need a strategic plan with a strong budget and it cannot be done by cutting the critical budgetary requirements that are needed for marketing and promotion," Mr. Bartlett said. "The 2007/2008 Budget is virtually the same, in U.S. dollar terms, as the one last year. In real terms, it is about five to 10 per cent less when you factor in inflation and the steady devaluation of the dollar."

He added: "By the end of the year, you will find that, instead of the US$16 million, as is now stated in the Budget for the actual marketing, you are down to US$15 million which is inadequate."

Restore buoyancy

Mr. Bartlett said the Tourism Ministry needs to go back to the Ministry of Finance and Planning to have that figure revised to a minimum of US$25 million for the rest of the year in order to curb the decline and "restore buoyancy into summer andthe next winter (seasons)".

According to stakeholders, the winter tourism season, which ended on Sunday April 15, saw a decline of approximately 12,000 visitors, a loss of some US$12 million in revenue.