More Focus on Community Tourism

[Lazie]

Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett, has said that more focus will be placed on community tourism over the next five years, to capitalise on the shift towards heritage and cultural vacations.

Minister Bartlett, in a speech read by Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Earl Patrick, at the Accompong Maroon Festival yesterday (Jan. 6) in St. Elizabeth, said that there has been a shift away from the traditional sun, sea and sand vacation concept, as visitors are seeking to interact more with the people and cultural aspects of their destination of choice. "As such, it is imperative that our focus be shifted to the development of community-based tourism efforts," he stated.

According to Minister Bartlett, community tourism facilitates the empowerment of a community by allowing it to maximise on its cultural and heritage assets to create income-generating projects, which also provide a value-added experience for both visitors and residents.

He said that the vacation concept allows for more participation by locals in the decision-making process and, "because they feel a part of it and are realising the direct potential and impact of tourism to them, pride is created allowing for a better tourism product."

The Minister commended the maroons for keeping their traditions alive through the staging of the annual festival of dancing, marching and drumming, noting that the event is keeping with the Ministry's increased focus on community tourism.

Highlighting areas of the festival that have stood out, such as the traditional march to the Kindah Tree, the Kromanti music and dance, Minister Bartlett said that if the event is managed and marketed properly, it could attract visitors to the island, who are seeking cultural experiences.

This year's festival marked the 271st anniversary of the Peace Treaty, which granted the Accompong Maroons full liberty from the British Government. The treaty was signed in 1738.

The annual festival is a main event on the Jamaica Tourist Board's heritage calendar.


http://www.jis.gov.jm/indus_tourism/...TY_TOURISM.asp

[Lazie]

Wait deh Mr. Minister .... there is a major hurdle called crime that needs to be addressed before we can go down this road.

[Assasin]

Do wait on nothing. Tourism can also be used as crime stopper. Employ more people and help build decent communities with proper infrasturcture for them to live in, that can be maintained and the people see the importance of tourism.

Full speed ahead.

I hope you see visitors arrival was up by 10% in December.

[Lazie]

Do wait on nothing. Tourism can also be used as crime stopper. Employ more people and help build decent communities with proper infrasturcture for them to live in, that can be maintained and the people see the importance of tourism.

Full speed ahead.

I hope you see visitors arrival was up by 10% in December.

Full Speed Ahead? IF yuh say suh! Mek anything happen to any tourist and see what happen to yuh 10%. We need to get crime under control ... you can gwaan dream.

[Assasin]

we need to get crime under control with or without tourism. We can't sit dead because of criminals.

[HL]

I understand your side Assasin--but Lazie make lots of sense too.

Bartlett is just doing lip service for his ministry.

I think by community tourism he means...guys like you Assasin and other JLIA --going home for a "vocation".

[Assasin]

I understand lazie point and the fact that if we didn't have the voilence it would be easier but other destinations have been able to sell with violence and i don't see it getting too much better soon so we can't just drop our hand.

i know you don't like Bartlett but he seems to be more proactive than most of the tourism minister before him. Tourism needs rival and some lipservice. So far Barlett has not be far off base.

he is criticise for the AA deal and it turned out to be a savior in ruff time.
he is criticise for not seeing a steep downturn last year, so far he has been right.

Them say him shouldn't advertise but we will see and he said there will be no 30% drop so let us see.

[Lazie]

I understand lazie point and the fact that if we didn't have the voilence it would be easier but other destinations have been able to sell with violence and i don't see it getting too much better soon so we can't just drop our hand.

i know you don't like Bartlett but he seems to be more proactive than most of the tourism minister before him. Tourism needs rival and some lipservice. So far Barlett has not be far off base.

he is criticise for the AA deal and it turned out to be a savior in ruff time.
he is criticise for not seeing a steep downturn last year, so far he has been right.

Them say him shouldn't advertise but we will see and he said there will be no 30% drop so let us see.

"Them say him shouldn't advertise but we will see and he said there will be no 30% drop so let us see"

Well, I'm aware that I questioned the intense advertising at this time. Other than me, who else?

[Assasin]

mi would like fi give you all the credit but others question it too.

[Lazie]

mi would like fi give you all the credit but others question it too.

Well I wasn't aware of that.

[Jangle]

Small businesses in tourism to benefit from capacity boost

Tourism entrepreneurs or small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) as they called are to benefit from a number of strategic programmes and initiatives crafted to build their resilience and expand capacity.

The industry in its support, which first started with the big up small businesses initiative, has been seeking to boost local businesses by creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with the tourism sector, linking them also to increased revenue generation.

Speaking at a Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) business development information session last week, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said that SMTEs which forms a critical part of the travel and tourism, hospitality, recreation and entertainment and food services industries are all based at the heart of the tourism product.

Bartlett said that with approximately 80 per cent of the value of tourism experiences worldwide being driven by these enterprises, it was unfortunate that less than 20 per cent of the sector’s returns were trickled down to them, highlighting the urgent need for remedial action especially in the pandemic’s aftermath.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busi...apacity-boost/

[HL]

Small businesses in tourism to benefit from capacity boost

Tourism entrepreneurs or small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) as they called are to benefit from a number of strategic programmes and initiatives crafted to build their resilience and expand capacity.

The industry in its support, which first started with the big up small businesses initiative, has been seeking to boost local businesses by creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs to connect with the tourism sector, linking them also to increased revenue generation.

Speaking at a Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) business development information session last week, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said that SMTEs which forms a critical part of the travel and tourism, hospitality, recreation and entertainment and food services industries are all based at the heart of the tourism product.

Bartlett said that with approximately 80 per cent of the value of tourism experiences worldwide being driven by these enterprises, it was unfortunate that less than 20 per cent of the sector’s returns were trickled down to them, highlighting the urgent need for remedial action especially in the pandemic’s aftermath.

https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busi...apacity-boost/

Ole time sumting kum bak again!!!!!!

(for some reason I am tempted to say "...guh round the bend and tell yuh fren.....)

[Sir X]

I agree with Sass a 100%. Crime cannot be a deterent for tourism, you will be surprised how many tourist want to venture into those communities and do all kind of activities there. For all kinda of reasons that you and I would never understand. As Sass pointed out it can and will be transformative on both ends . Besides with the construction boom, they are bounbd to interact, given how close the rich live to the poor or work with them.


Intereting article here.

https://www.goworldtravel.com/gang-tours-panama/