Falmouth Being Repositioned as a Sustainable Tourism Destination

The town of Falmouth in Trelawny is being repositioned as a Sustainable Tourism Destination under an Organization of American States (OAS) programme.

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says under the Sustainable Destination Alliance for the Americas (SDAA) initiative, several activities, including the Ministry’s recent ‘Falmouth Invasion’ sensitisation march and concert, will be undertaken to boost civic pride among the town’s residents and wider parish citizenry.

He was addressing hundreds of persons, including students, who participated in the Falmouth Invasion in Water Square on February 8.

Mr. Bartlett said based on infrastructural developments undertaken in town and other engagements slated to be carried out over the next several years, Falmouth is poised to become the new tourism centre of the Caribbean.

Among the activities already undertaken, he noted, was development of the $300 million port, the largest in the region, “to receive the largest ships sailing on the world’s oceans today, in Falmouth.”

The Minister these activities would make Falmouth “the only discrete town carefully developed to facilitate all elements of tourism.”

“Falmouth is an attractive destination with much to see and experience. The rich history, Georgian architecture and many attractions make it a major tourism asset,” Mr. Bartlett stated.

In this regard, he said the town has a central role to play in the Ministry’s growth strategy “as we seek to attract five million visitors, generate US$5 billion in tourism earnings, increase total direct jobs to 125,000 and add 15,000 new hotel rooms by 2021.”

Mr. Bartlett said the residents’ participation in the Falmouth Invasion indicated their seriousness about being proactive in beautifying and preserving the town and its environs. This, he added, by keeping their communities clean and attractive.

He also encouraged the parish’s young people to become tourism ambassadors for Falmouth, “and encourage the residents to treat visitors with respect.”

“It is our hope that these activities will further raise the collective civic consciousness of the people of Falmouth,” he added.