Government Focused on Spreading Benefits of Tourism

The Government is focused on building an inclusive, sustainable tourism sector where the economic benefits are spread to workers and local businesses and communities.

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said that the objective is to promote broader participation by all Jamaicans in the industry.

“The future of tourism is bright in Jamaica. We have the vision… and we are driven by a mission that will create an inclusive industry for our country,” he noted.

Minister Bartlett, who was opening the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 18), outlined several ongoing initiatives that are being undertaken in this regard, including capacity-building through the upskilling and certification of thousands of workers.

He said that the Government is seeking to ensure a secure future for employees, through the Tourism Workers Pension Plan, as well as provide adequate and affordable housing.

A critical part of promoting inclusive growth is strengthening linkages with other sectors of the economy, particularly agriculture and manufacturing, and ensuring that thousands of small farmers across the island can connect with and cash in on this lucrative industry.

“[We want to] provide a benefit for more small farmers – with one acre, half-acre, quarter-acre, three acres, no more than five acres, so that they can have a place in the sun and get a piece of the tourism pie,” he said.

Marketing and financial opportunities for small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) are also being provided.

“We want to ensure that the SMTEs… all have an opportunity to have a stake in the tourism industry,” Minister Bartlett said.

He noted that safety, security and sustainability of the natural and built environments are critical to the development of the sector.