Tourism Stalwart George Johnson Conferred with Order of Distinction

Seventy-nine-year-old George Samuel Johnson is a man of strength and determination, who has dedicated most of his life to the growth and development of the tourism sector in St. James.

The retired tourism stalwart, who served the industry for 53 years, was conferred with the Order of Distinction in the rank of Officer (OD) for his stellar contribution.

He was among the 221 people recognised at the National Honours and Awards Ceremony held at King’s House on National Heroes Day, Monday, October 17.

Mr. Johnson tells JIS News that while he was not expecting the recognition, he is pleased that his years of yeoman service have earned him one of Jamaica’s most distinguished awards.

“I am humbled and happy. Whatever I did, whenever I did it, there never was a thought at any point of being acknowledged, compensated or recognised for it; that never crossed my mind at any point. So, I am very pleased and grateful it has happened and I hope I will continue to make an impression… in any way that I can, positively,” he tells JIS News.

Mr. Johnson entered the field of tourism in 1964 when he landed his first job at international car rental company Hertz in Montego Bay.

His prodigious work ethic at the company caught the attention of competitor Peter’s Economy, which employed him in 1966 to transform the business.

“At Hertz, a lot of training took place, which, I would imagine, influenced the people of Peter’s to offer me an attractive package, which I accepted. I was able to use a little of the training and experience gained at Hertz to propel the system at Peter’s,” he shares.

Despite his success at Peter’s, Mr. Johnson’s entrepreneurial spirit propelled him to establish his own company in 1970, United Car Rental Limited.

With competition from four established international car rental companies and two local giants, the consummate businessman shares with JIS News that he set his company apart by forging partnerships with elegantly appointed luxury villas, including Tryall, and high-end tourist clients.

The Westmoreland native shares that there were some initial hiccups, but the strategy employed augured well for the growth of his company.

“We grew from a very small entity at the start… and at the end of the 1980s we had employed 12 full-time and four part-time persons,” he notes.

“We did extremely well because of the strategies and programmes that we implemented,” he adds.

Mr. Johnson’s strides in the tourism sector earned him seats at the helm of several local and international tourism organisations where he worked to develop and enhance Jamaica’s tourism product.

He was president of the Montego Bay Chapter of Skal International, the professional organisation for tourism leaders around the world, and served as president of the entity’s Caribbean and Central American Region from 2002 to 2006.

During that period, he travelled extensively with tourism partners promoting Jamaica’s tourism product.

“My experience with Skal was most exciting and educating. Some of the cultures of some of the countries are completely different from ours, but you adapt and you learn,” he states.

Mr. Johnson also served as president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI) in 1987 and as board chairman of the organisation for several years.

“When I presided over the Chamber… one of the major things that we did was to move to an area with far more space, and the number of entities that are now operating within this region, for example JAMPRO, was only operating in Kingston at that time…,” Mr. Johnson recalls.

“All international telephone calls were rerouted to Kingston… and we fought against it for years and we eventually achieved that. The setting up of a number of national offices that are now in Montego Bay came because of the seeds that we planted in the ‘80s,” he shares.

His passion for youth development saw Mr. Johnson serving as Chairman of the board of Governors of the then Herbert Morrison Comprehensive High School (now Herbert Morrison Technical High) from 1985 to 1994.

During his tenure, he worked in tandem with then principal, Lloyd Winstanley, to develop the institution, in particular, the area of sport.

“I am a person who strongly believes in sports and the impact of sports, particularly for the development of young people. The principal and I spent many evenings putting a plan together to establish a playing field because there was none. To look at what is there today, it gives me a sense of joy and satisfaction,” he says.

His strong leadership qualities led to his appointment as chairman of the Transport Authority from 2008 to 2011 and president of the Jamaica U-Drive Association, which represents the interests of the rent-a-car industry.

He was appointed a justice of the peace (JP) in 1988.

Mr. Johnson is known for his philanthropic endeavors in St. James, particularly his mentorship programme for boys.

The cricket enthusiast, who represented the Montego Bay Cricket Club for several years, says sports is a family passion.

“My father and grandfather were involved in sports, particularly cricket, so nearly all of us who grew up together played cricket, boys and girls alike. Until this day, cricket remains one of my favourite sports, it stays on my agenda full-time,” he shares.

Mr. Johnson hopes to see more young people becoming entrepreneurs and encourages them to capitalize on the opportunities that now exist in the business sector.