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Fewer gains from tourism
Poverty not alleviated
Janet Silvera, Hospitality Jamaica CoordinatorPoverty not alleviated
The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) recently released a set of maps identifying the level of poverty in communities across Jamaica. The startling revelation from these documents is that St Ann, which boasts Ocho Rios, the cruise-ship capital, is now the poorest parish, based on unmet needs and consumption.
St James, renowned as the 'tourism Mecca', falls fourth in line and Portland, tagged 'little Hollywood', has lived up to its new name, 'forgotten paradise', joining in the poorest people in the country in the number-two position.
highest incidence of poverty
From all indications, three of the island's five tourist resorts are among the areas with the highest incidence of poverty in the country.
"It suggests to me that the model of tourism being used does not have a good distribution of income," says Dr Henley Morgan, management consultant CEO at Caribbean Applied Technology Centre.
While praising the ingenuity of people like Gordon 'Butch' Stewart of Sandals Resorts International and SuperClubs' John Issa for placing Jamaica on the map as the world's number-one all-inclusive destination, the management consultant said the concept has served Jamaica well, but noted that there was a major downside to the tourism sector if the country was to continue to develop along this path. "With the all-inclusive concept, tourism revenue does not get circulated in the communities; it is mainly earned and retained in the large hotel chains," he said.
distribution of benefits
Dr Morgan cited an article written by economist Errol Gregory who said the growth in all-inclusive hotel business may be impinging on the distribution of economic benefits as visitors are not encouraged to leave the hotels.
"Mr Gregory obviously concurs with my observation, analysis and conclusion concerning the apparently negligible effect of tourism in bettering the life of the masses."
Addressing the issue of casino gambling, which is expected to result in poverty alleviation and boost tourism revenue, Dr Morgan stated that there are moral arguments that can be made against going down this path, but there are economic ones too.
"One such argument is that it will represent a further retreat down the path of a type of 'fortress tourism' that attracts visitors to the island, picks them up at the airport, transports them to the hotel, holds them hostage to the services provided in the particular facility, then delivers them back to the airport for the return trip home."
Pointing to statistics, Dr Morgan said it has been proven that for parishes having the greatest number of resorts - outside of taxation, low-wage employment and minimal consumption of local produce and products - the Jamaican economy and people do not, as a whole, benefit to the maximum from a type of tourism that isolates the visitor from the vendor and from the ordinary Jamaican.
"The best thing the Government could do for local tourism is fix crime so tourists can move about and spend their money freely; spreading the benefits to resource and development-starved communities," Dr Morgan said.
dem all think dem know everything about everything...yuh si mi?!! 
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