OCHO RIOS, St Ann:

Business interest in Ocho Rios are calling on the Government to do more in terms of marketing the tourist industry in order to allow the industry to successfully overcome the challenges to its growth and viability.

Some key players in the tourism sector, who are concerned about the current downturn in business and the forecast for future decline, are urging the Government to put in place a better marketing strategy to attract more visitors to the island, as well as ensuring an equitable share for the business.

They also cited the need to promote alternative sources of energy to minimise the rising cost of fuel and electricity, which some hoteliers claim is eroding the income at their resorts.

These concerns came out of a seminar hosted by Jamaica Money Market Brokers, in association with the St Ann Chamber of Commerce, at Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort in Ocho Rios, recently.

Strategies

In-bond merchant and jewel manufacturer Ramesh Sujanani, who was a presenter in a panel discussion on perspectives and strategies for the tourist industry, said this year has been the worst for the in-bond sector in the past 10 years and that it doesn't appear to be getting any better.

"We are down," he said. "Starting from early January, we have seen business slowly declining."

He also said that while there have been talks in the United States about the threat of a recession later this year, that recession has already reached Jamaica.

According to Sujanani, there is increasing competition from other major tourism destinations, including attractive rates for goods and services, and that Jamaica must now begin to consider how to approach the future in terms of marketing the industry.

Another panellist, general manager of the Sunset Jamaica Grande, Clifton Reader, agreed that there needs to be some adjustment to the present marketing strategy because it is becoming more and more difficult to get visitors to come to the island.

Reader also called on the Government to encourage investors to promote the development of more of the smaller European plan hotels, rather than the present set of large all-inclusive properties being constructed along the north coast.

Multiplier effect

He advised that if Jamaica continued to extend the all-inclusive properties throughout the country, the multiplier effect on businesses would be reduced.

The Sunset Jamaica Grande general manager said it is important that tourism interest in the country begin to work together to get quality visitors into the island, rather than reach out to the mass market.

Managing director of the soon-to-be opened Mystic Mountain attraction in Ocho Rios, Mike Drakulich, who was also on the panel, acknowledged the challenges faced by the tourism industry worldwide, especially due to high cost of travelling. He is, however, optimistic that even with a recession, the Caribbean should not be too badly affected.

He pointed out that it will cost Americans far less to travel to the Caribbean than to Europe and the far East and so, the region could become the preferred destination.