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While Mr Dennis Morrison slept.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Dear Editor,
I read Mr Dennis Morrison's column in your Wednesday edition of October 17, 2007, entitled "The impact of the US economy on Jamaica's tourism industry" and wondered whether it was written by the same gentleman who happens to be the outgoing chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
If Mr Morrison had confessed to being asleep for the past 30 years and then woke up and discovered, just this year, that, as he wrote, "The importance of the US economy and travel market to the Caribbean tourism industry cannot be overstated", I could understand the reason for his article. But, coming from someone who sat as chairman of the JTB for several years. is he for real?
But even more puzzling is that he committed to writing, in October 2007, the fact that the US passport requirement for US citizens has had a negative impact on our tourism industry. Didn't hotel mogul 'Butch' Stewart predict that this would happen, over one year ago, in 2006?
Didn't 'Butch' also warn that the new regime would have a devastating effect on the entire industry, and could cripple our smaller hotels? Mr Morrison writes as if this is all breaking news to him!
Is it that he can't appreciate that key industry players have the knowledge and experience to predict how major policy decisions of other territories can and will affect our tourism market? Or is this his version of an apology to the people of Jamaica for being completely out of his depth in his capacity as JTB chairman? He, like many key tourism sector players in Jamaica, simply ignored the warning signs and the loud screams from those who know tourism well enough to predict our arrival levels, high or low, one year ahead.
Mr Morrison, while you were sleeping our tourism industry was slipping away.
I can only hope that the Government will have the good sense to find a successor to Mr Morrison who is experienced, in tune with the dynamics of the industry and can bring to the table an aggressive and proactive approach to Jamaica's tourism.
The industry and the country deserve no less.
Tony Sterling
Montego Bay
Friday, October 19, 2007
Dear Editor,
I read Mr Dennis Morrison's column in your Wednesday edition of October 17, 2007, entitled "The impact of the US economy on Jamaica's tourism industry" and wondered whether it was written by the same gentleman who happens to be the outgoing chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
If Mr Morrison had confessed to being asleep for the past 30 years and then woke up and discovered, just this year, that, as he wrote, "The importance of the US economy and travel market to the Caribbean tourism industry cannot be overstated", I could understand the reason for his article. But, coming from someone who sat as chairman of the JTB for several years. is he for real?
But even more puzzling is that he committed to writing, in October 2007, the fact that the US passport requirement for US citizens has had a negative impact on our tourism industry. Didn't hotel mogul 'Butch' Stewart predict that this would happen, over one year ago, in 2006?
Didn't 'Butch' also warn that the new regime would have a devastating effect on the entire industry, and could cripple our smaller hotels? Mr Morrison writes as if this is all breaking news to him!
Is it that he can't appreciate that key industry players have the knowledge and experience to predict how major policy decisions of other territories can and will affect our tourism market? Or is this his version of an apology to the people of Jamaica for being completely out of his depth in his capacity as JTB chairman? He, like many key tourism sector players in Jamaica, simply ignored the warning signs and the loud screams from those who know tourism well enough to predict our arrival levels, high or low, one year ahead.
Mr Morrison, while you were sleeping our tourism industry was slipping away.
I can only hope that the Government will have the good sense to find a successor to Mr Morrison who is experienced, in tune with the dynamics of the industry and can bring to the table an aggressive and proactive approach to Jamaica's tourism.
The industry and the country deserve no less.
Tony Sterling
Montego Bay
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