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Speaking at the Jamaica House press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, on February 15, Dr. McNeill explained that  during that period, for the most part, stopover arrivals remained relatively flat, experiencing growth in only three of those months, resulting in a 0.8 decrease overall. He pointed to a number of factors which contributed to that decline, including...

With the tourist industry on a growth path, Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, says the Ministry is now working on strategies to maximise the opportunities within the sector, for all Jamaicans to benefit. He argued that the industry has the potential to provide many opportunities for upward social mobility, pointing out that there is now an...

With thousands of tourists and locals visiting the parish of Trelawny weekly, particularly the town of Falmouth, to conduct business or to have fun, there have been calls for more attractions to be opened in the parish. Millions of dollars have been invested in the area in infrastructure, particularly access roads and the cruise ship pier in Falmouth, where thousands...

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, said that the Ministry will be looking at ways to use events such as the just concluded Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival to pull visitors to the country during weak travel periods. “One of the things we are going to have to focus on and look at seriously, is how we are going...

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, is imploring the business community and other stakeholders in the tourism industry to assist the Government in improving linkages between the industry and other sectors. “I challenge members of our business community, our farmers and manufacturers to support this drive to strengthen the linkages between tourism and all the other sectors.Be...

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, said that in promoting growth in the tourism industry, greater emphasis must be placed on earning more from the country’s visitors.  He noted that for too long, “when talking about the tourism sector, we talk about growth in arrival figures…what we need to focus on now…is not just these figures…what we...

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, said that the Government and tourism stakeholders are examining the contribution of the sector to the country’s development through several studies. “At present, our Ministry is conducting a study of the economic impact of the tourism sector, which is scheduled for completion in April of this year,” he informed.  This, he...

The St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation has launched a website (www.visitstelizabeth.com.jm), to promote tourism in the parish, and expose other developmental activities to targeted audiences. The website is being financed from a grant of $4.9 million provided by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), and a $2.58 million contribution from the community. It was launched on Wednesday (January 18). Speaking at...

Twenty-five Jamaicans are being recruited for employment at the Kiawah Island Resort in the United States. They will join over 130 Jamaicans already employed at the resort in Charleston, South Carolina. Speaking in an interview with JIS news on Thursday (January 19), Minister of Labour and Social Security Hon. Derrick Kellier, said the initiative is in keeping with the Government’s...

Newly appointed Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has described Jamaica's resounding success at the 2011 World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony, held on January 11 in Doha, Qatar, as a ‘monumental achievement'. This as Jamaica won the coveted award for World's Leading Honeymoon Destination, and was recognized for the sixth consecutive year as the...

Only minutes after being officially sworn into office, Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, and his colleague Minister of State, the Hon. Damion Crawford, hit the ground running as they moved swiftly to secure detailed information on the activities of the Ministry which they now lead. Minister McNeill explained that “following the swearing in ceremony we...

Several communities across the island are slated to benefit from grant funding to support community tourism initiatives under the National Best Community Competition and Programme (NBCCP). Chairperson of the National Steering Committee of the NBCCP, Jacqueline daCosta, told JIS News that the grant, to be provided by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), will be used to train persons in...