TPDCo Takes Licensing Expo to Portland

The Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo) made another stop in Portland with its annual Licensing Expo, to assist tourism businesses and business interests in getting and staying regularised.

The fourth annual Expo took place at Hotel Tim Bamboo in the parish capital, Port Antonio, on July 7, and marks the sixth stop in the series this year.

Licence Processing and Registration Manager, Sheryll Lewis, speaking with JIS News, said that the aim of the event was to have a one-stop shop for all the agencies and stakeholders who play a crucial part in a tourism business obtaining a licence under the Tourist Board Act.

“We bring everybody together like the Companies Office of Jamaica, the fire department, the public health department, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), the maritime authority, the police, insurance companies, and we also have EXIM bank in terms of financing and the Ministry of Tourism,” Ms. Lewis detailed.

The expo makes stops in the resort areas across the island, with engagements, so far, in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Falmouth, Negril and the South Coast.

On Wednesday, July 9, the Expo will conclude with a stop in Kingston at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

Ms. Lewis is calling on Jamaicans in the tourism industry who are not currently licensed to make every effort to get their operations regularised.

“The main benefit is that you would be operating within the law, which is the Tourist Board Act. Apart from [that], you are also ensuring that you’re protecting yourself and your business and protecting Jamaica as a destination. Just one small incident, when it goes out there, they are not talking about a particular entity, they say Jamaica,” the Manager said.

“Under our destination assurance programme, we always want to have a safe [tourism product] in terms of fire safety, security and public health safety and we want persons to have public liability insurance. Jamaica is a sought-after destination, and we want to ensure that we continue to have a safe product and continue to improve on what we have and bring in other persons in terms of getting them regularised,” she explained.

Unlicensed persons who are unfamiliar with the process can reach out to the TPDCo through its social media pages – @tpdcoja – or contact Ms. Lewis directly at 876-574-0971 or email sheryll.lewis@tpdco.org.

The final leg of the Licensing Expo in Kingston on July 9 is also an opportunity for persons to benefit from the one-stop shop if they have missed any of the regional stops.