High Commissioner Urges Investments in Heritage Tourism

LONDON — Jamaica's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK), Anthony Johnson is calling for more investment in heritage tourism in Jamaica.

Speaking at a recent meeting with members of the Friends of the Georgian Society of Jamaica held at his London office, High Commissioner Johnson stressed the importance of heritage tourism to Jamaica and urged members of the society to put their money into the development of the subsector. 

According to High Commissioner Johnson, Jamaica has far more heritage sites and artefacts than many other countries in the Americas. He said that despite this fact, the country is not yet known as a major destination for heritage tourism.

He noted that St. Ann, for example, is steeped in history, as the parish where explorer Christopher Columbus landed on his expedition to Jamaica in 1494, and also the site of some of the most significant battles between the Spanish and the English.

He said that the parish was also home to many important world class personalities, including Jamaica's first National Hero, Marcus Garvey, who was the founder of the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and international reggae icon Bob Marley.