Bartlett explains need for increase in tourists’tax

KINGSTON — Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica will have to “ramp up” its marketing strategies, and venture into new markets, to obtain sustained tourism growth.

 “We recognise that growth cannot happen for Jamaica unless we go into new markets, and its part of the wider strategy that I have been enunciating about the way forward – new markets, new products, new technology, new investments and new partnerships,” he argued

“Those are the five pillars on which the growth projections for Jamaica are predicated,” the Minister added.

Mr. Bartlett was speaking at a press briefing at his New Kingston office, on Tuesday May 31, where he revealed new arrangements to welcome direct flights out of four South American countries – Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Chile – beginning as early as November.

He noted, however, that new markets would require new airlift connections, which are a key area of cost that governments have to contend with.

“Whether it is that we are making arrangements directly with the airlines for seat support, or it is for marketing behind the gateways, these are costs that we have to deal with as a destination,” Mr. Bartlett stated.

The Tourism Minister also noted that it costs US$3 million to US$5 million to start a new market. He said that it is against this background that the Government has implemented the US$10 increase in the passenger head tax on hotel guests, to create a pool of funds solely dedicated to marketing Jamaica as a viable destination.

“This US$10 that we seek is exclusively for the industry to build occupancy, to go into new markets, to enable airline connectivity and to give the small hoteliers a chance as well as the big ones,” he said.

Mr. Bartlett argued that if Jamaica failed to implement such measures, it would run the risk of not only being marginalised in the world tourism market, but falling significantly behind world players. He added that Jamaica was not the only destination in the Caribbean that has been forced to increase tax on hotel guests, as similar policies have been implemented in St. Lucia, which increased their tax to US$35.

He said marketing and venturing into new areas was, therefore, critical to the survival of destination Jamaica.

“We have to protect our ability to market this destination and this is not an onerous effort, this will not affect Jamaica’s competitiveness in anyway, instead what it will do, is create for us a constancy of presence in the market,” he argued.

By ATHALIAH REYNOLDS, JIS Reporter