Look at the newspaper article below. Now, see why I’ve been consistent in my suggestions about the immense importance of introducing Spanish as a mandatory subject in all primary schools and throughout all high schools in Jamaica? This is clearly logical for the simple reason that we probably have MORE Spanish-speaking neighbors in our region than any other language (including English)!!
North America: Mexico (official language Spanish)
Central America: Six Spanish-speaking countries (Belize the only English-speaking exception)
South America: Spanish is the official language of nine South American countries. The only exceptions are Brazil (Portuguese), Guyana (English), Suriname (Dutch), French Guiana (French) and the Falkland Islands (English).
Of course, the huge country of Brazil has virtually 50-percent of the entire population of South America, but at the same time the other countries do not speak Portuguese.
The Caribbean: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Hola, mi amigo!- Jamaica opens tourism door to South Americans
Published: Saturday | July 18, 2009
Scores of travel agents and journalists have flooded Jamaica's shores as the island's tourism ministry ramps up its drive to widen market streams in South America.
Two groups totalling 180 persons from Ecuador have made the familiarisation trip which ends next Tuesday.
The second group of visitors were set to arrive yesterday as the first set, who came on Monday, left for their homeland.
Marketing representative with the Jamaica Tourism Board, Wayne Sterling, said the visit was critical to increasing arrivals to the island, as a global recession has somewhat dampened the travel appetite of North Americans, which represent the lion's share of Jamaica's market.
"Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has been doing some good work in trying to get business out of Latin America, and we see the visit of the Ecuadorians as very important and very integral to growing this business," he said.
upbeat about the thrust
Communications manager and media liaison in the tourism ministry, Horace Phillips, was also upbeat about the new thrust, which he believes could cause a bounce in the Jamaican economy.
"We are going to be having a lot of Spanish-speaking visitors in our country, and we are appealing to Jamaicans to give them the real Jamaican hospitality, as it is something that we are known for throughout the world," Phillips said.
He described the event as a great opportunity for Jamaicans to learn to speak Spanish and to help them communicate much better with visitors from Spanish-speaking countries.
The visitors are being accommodated at the Riu hotel in Mammee Bay, St Ann, on Jamaica's north coast.
North America: Mexico (official language Spanish)
Central America: Six Spanish-speaking countries (Belize the only English-speaking exception)
South America: Spanish is the official language of nine South American countries. The only exceptions are Brazil (Portuguese), Guyana (English), Suriname (Dutch), French Guiana (French) and the Falkland Islands (English).
Of course, the huge country of Brazil has virtually 50-percent of the entire population of South America, but at the same time the other countries do not speak Portuguese.
The Caribbean: Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Hola, mi amigo!- Jamaica opens tourism door to South Americans
Published: Saturday | July 18, 2009
Scores of travel agents and journalists have flooded Jamaica's shores as the island's tourism ministry ramps up its drive to widen market streams in South America.
Two groups totalling 180 persons from Ecuador have made the familiarisation trip which ends next Tuesday.
The second group of visitors were set to arrive yesterday as the first set, who came on Monday, left for their homeland.
Marketing representative with the Jamaica Tourism Board, Wayne Sterling, said the visit was critical to increasing arrivals to the island, as a global recession has somewhat dampened the travel appetite of North Americans, which represent the lion's share of Jamaica's market.
"Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has been doing some good work in trying to get business out of Latin America, and we see the visit of the Ecuadorians as very important and very integral to growing this business," he said.
upbeat about the thrust
Communications manager and media liaison in the tourism ministry, Horace Phillips, was also upbeat about the new thrust, which he believes could cause a bounce in the Jamaican economy.
"We are going to be having a lot of Spanish-speaking visitors in our country, and we are appealing to Jamaicans to give them the real Jamaican hospitality, as it is something that we are known for throughout the world," Phillips said.
He described the event as a great opportunity for Jamaicans to learn to speak Spanish and to help them communicate much better with visitors from Spanish-speaking countries.
The visitors are being accommodated at the Riu hotel in Mammee Bay, St Ann, on Jamaica's north coast.
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