$56 Million Allocated to TPDCo

The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has been allocated a total of $56.2 million in the 2008/09 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives.
Of the sum, $6.4 million will be used for conducting training seminars and to cover related expenses.
A wide variety of programmes are offered through this training activity, which can be customized to suit specific organizational needs. Programmes include Customer Service, Tour Guiding Skills, Heritage Tourism, Life Saving Skills, Foreign Languages, Private Security Training and Workplace Literacy.
About $20 million of the total is to be used in beautification projects and the purchase of goods and services.
The project seeks to develop and improve the environment and physical attractiveness of the main resort areas. A major focus of this activity during the current financial year will be the implementation of beautification projects in Kingston and the South Coast.
Property maintenance will also be aided with $11.7 million of the sum. This allocation provides for the maintenance of properties which were formerly owned by the Jamaica Attraction and Development Company (JADCo) and the Recreational Development Company (RDC). The Tourism Product Development Company now manages these properties.
The Visitor Information Programme (anti-harassment) will get $8 million of the amount allocated.
The main thrust of this project is the provision of visitor information services. The programme is aimed at providing information about the resort areas to visitors and local residents. During this financial period, special emphasis will be placed on the modernization and maintenance of information booths and kiosks across the island.
Also to benefit from the sum also is the Sustainable Environmental and Tourism project, with a provision of $8.7 million. The main focus of the project is the sustained development and improvement of the environment in the major resort towns by facilitating upgrading and beautification works in these areas.
The South Coast Sustainable Development Project has also been given $1.3 million of the allocation.