My Jamaica Your Jamaica

THE WEEKLY GLEANER | DECEMBER 10 - DEC EMBER 16, 2020 | www.j amaica-gleaner.com | I19 T OURISMMINISTER Edmund Bartlett says developers remain invested in the country’s tourism infrastruc- ture, despite the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Minister Bartlett, who was addressing the virtual media briefing for Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2020 on November 9, cited several projects that are on stream, includ- ing the construction and expansion of high-end properties. Among the projects is the 1,700-room Hard Rock Resort along the Elegant Corridor in Rose Hall, Montego Bay. “I am hopeful that plans …will be laid out and construc- tion will begin soon,” he said. Also in Montego Bay, an additional 800 rooms are being added to the beachfront all-inclusive SeaGarden Beach Resort, which is located near the Hip Strip. In addition, the Shoppes of Rose Hall is being repurposed and rebranded into a Linkages Centre of Excellence, to pro- vide visitors with a place that showcases the best of Jamaica. “We’ve just broken ground on this development, to signal the major transformation it will undergo. The new Linkages Centre of Excellence will draw people out into the commu- nity, experiencing a destination within the destination that combines gastronomy, a craft market offering the best of our Jamaican crafts, health and wellness, local entertainment, and the use of the latest technology,” Bartlett said. Meanwhile, over in Trelawny, Ocean by H10 is building a 440-room property and the Royalton Group is constructing two more resorts totalling 1,200 rooms, adding to theWhite Sands and Blue Waters resorts. The tourism minister noted that, over in St Ann, the Karisma Hotels & Resorts group is undertaking Phase One of the Sugarcane property with 700 rooms. Phase Two will add another 3,800, bringing the total room count to 4,500. This represents a significant investment, which could potentially create 10,000 jobs,” he said. Tourism sector poised for further development Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (third left) participates in a groundbreaking exercise for the creation of the new Linkages Centre of Excellence at The Shoppes in Rose Hall, St James. Also pictured are (from left) Joy Roberts, executive director of Jamaica Vacations Limited; Dr Carey Wallace, executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF); Anup Chandiram, CEO of Chandiram Limited; Godfrey Dyer, chairman of the TEF; IanDear, chairman of the TourismProduct Development Company Limited; and Odette Dyer, regional director of the Jamaica Tourist Board. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER THOMAS SEVERAL MAJOR airlines serving Jamaica have reported an increase in demand and have responded by increasing service to the island in time for the holiday period. These include American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue, United, Southwest, Air Canada, WestJet, and Copa. In the United Kingdom (UK), British Airways has started twice-weekly service to Montego Bay from London Gatwick, adding to its regular London Gatwick-Kingston service. In addition, Virgin Atlantic returned to Jamaica in October, with service from Heathrow to Montego Bay twice weekly, and will move to three days per week this winter. This was released during the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2020 virtual media briefing held on November 9. Expedia reported that searches for Montego Bay, Jamaica, rose 15 per cent in July, and Jamaica was among the most-searched-for destinations in the Caribbean. This gave Jamaica’s Ministry of Tourism optimism that the trend will continue through the winter months. Travel uptick for holidays - Airlines increasing service to Jamaica PRESIDENT OF the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Clifton Reader, says the tourism sector’s widespread implementation of health-and-safety protocols has been serving as a shining example for the rest of the country. Reader, who spoke to JIS News following the roll-out of the JHTA’s COVID-19 Ambassador Programme, at the Moon Palace Jamaica Grande hotel, on October 2, said the hotels have been so impressed with how the protocols are being executed inside the properties that they will be using their staff to share their skills and expertise as ambassadors in their communities. “We can all be proud of the response of our sector in the implementation of protocols and sanitisation regimes that have served to protect our staff, our guests and, by extension, our communities,” Reader noted. “We feel that we can be of even greater direct service to our communities, and it is our intention to partner with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to lend the expertise of our trained employees in helping to sensitise communities and craft a recovery road map that will benefit all,” the JHTA president added. He said that. in tandem with the ministry, the training departments in the hotels will have virtual workshops organised with the assistance of the churches and schools, to share the protocols and strategies that are “serving us well” in the tourist industry. Reader, in themeantime, said that, while COVID-19 recovery planning focuses now on the logistics of sanitisation, safe distancing and mask wearing, the country also needs to look ahead to what life will be like going forward. “Our industry’s survival depends on our being ready to spring forward with concrete plans, welcoming messages and interesting experiences to capture the public’s attention. So, we will be exploring opportunities for product and marketing innovations, taking into account new-visitor mindsets,” he said. “Some trends have already emerged during the pandemic, including a heightened appreciation of local communities and local food and drink, which augurs well especially for our smaller accommodations and businesses,” Reader added. He noted that the larger properties should also be able to continue to connect with the network of past visitors that are virtual ambassadors for new and potential guests. “We will be looking towards new product development and experiences for our marketing messages that help keep our lights on, but, above all, we will be working together to ensure that Jamaica is safe to live and visit,” the president said. “The tourism industry is the glue that holds virtually every other industry together. Never before has it been more obvious that we are in this together – hotels, airlines, attractions, tour operators, manufacturers, agriculture, craftsmen and artisans and, of course, our dedicated and committed employees. We are all a part of what makes for the true Jamaica travel experience,” he added. ‘Shining examples’ - Hotels to call on employees to be health-protocol ambassadors in local communities MY JAMAICA, YOUR JAMAICA THE WEEKLY GLEANER | D CEMBER 10, 2020 - JANUARY 9, 2021 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | MY JAMAICA, YOU I