Tourism stakeholders say a collective approach is needed to strengthen Jamaica’s tourism product, in order to provide an opportunity for significant expansion of the industry. President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Omar Robinson, says while tourism has suffered temporary fallout from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, it remains one of Jamaica’s most resilient sectors in driving economic growth...

Chairman of the COVID-19 Resilient Corridors, John Byles, says that as the world struggles to combat the effects of COVID-19, Jamaica has, over the last six months, emerged as a leader in the fight against the pandemic. Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s Montego Bay Regional Office on August 31, Mr. Byles said that...

Chairman of the COVID-19 Resilient Corridors, John Byles, has indicated that established safety protocols are being continually "reviewed” by tourism entities, in order to further improve and enforce them. Addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s Regional Office in Montego Bay, St. James, on August 31, he said it is imperative that the lives of local...

Tourism stakeholders are calling for a more unified national COVID-19 response between public and private-sector entities, arguing that anything less could be self-defeating and counterproductive. Speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank at the agency’s Regional Office in Montego Bay, St. James, on August 31, the sector players argued that what the country currently needs is a cohesive...

Tourism stakeholders and ‘Resilient Corridor’ interests are encouraging more Jamaicans to embrace the ‘Rediscover Jamaica’ campaign, in order to drive a sustainable domestic tourism market. The initiative, which is being promoted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), was launched in July and encourages Jamaicans to take advantage of the country’s many tourism products and attractions through staycation packages. Speaking at...

Jamaicans have been visiting local resorts to take advantage of reduced staycation packages, as international travel has been reduced drastically. The move is also being pushed by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), through its Rediscover Jamaica programme, in an effort to provide a temporary cushion for the struggling hotel sector, which has seen a fallout in business over the past...

Owners of attractions are now repackaging their products to cater to the local market, as a result of the loss being experienced with the cruise-shipping business due to the fallout from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. “Most if not all of Jamaica’s major attractions derived anywhere from 40 per cent to 60 per cent of their overall businesses from cruise shipping,”...