Sass? - Yard Travel's foray in tourism market

[Karl]

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of daily life we become so consumed by the obdurate nature of the challenges we face that we do not accentuate enough of the positives even though they bear enormous motivational and inspirational value, particularly to those who dare to dream big or make a difference in this tough environment. Yard Travel, a company owned by Damion Crawford comes readily to mind. And the Jamaica Observer deserves kudos for featuring his new company on its business pages recently and for helping to bring greater awareness among younger Jamaicans about the feasibility of starting ventures such as Crawford's Yard Travel.

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...#ixzz1VnDk1MgM

[Assasin]

yeah I saw it about a month ago. Hopefully he will get some good prices. I will check his site and see the deals.

Good luck to Crawford.

[Historian]

A Most Welcome Development!

Good post, Karl, as I’m sure Assasin will agree !

I deliberately mention Assasin’s name because he, more than any other poster on the Reggae Boyz Forum, has consistently demonstrated an awareness of the vital importance to tourism to Jamaica, and for the need for continued innovation. (By the way, Assasin, your constant calls on this forum for housing for tourism industry workers is a relevant concern, and I hope that eventually the Jamaican government and industry players will realize the importance of this matter of proper housing.)

I can’t help but sometimes wonder, though, how much the Jamaican populace (and leaders as well) as a whole is aware of the importance of our tourism industry. I can vaguely recall a member of parliament in Jamaica getting up and ranting rubbish about tourism and “servitude” (this happened, I think, sometime back in the 1980s, but for the life of me I cannot recall who said it!). It is my hope that all of our leaders realize by now the immense difference between “servitude” and “service,” and that they are by no means the same!

Jamaica missed the proverbial boat big-time after Castro’s Cuban revolution. If we had not been so blindly concerned about the nice returns from bauxite and sugar and bananas, we might have jumped on the tourism bandwagon from the early 1960s and so instilled deeply in our people the essentials of this industry. Our foundation would have been laid from way back then (some 40 years ago).

Did we get on board the tourism industry too late and because of desperation after the failure of our traditional industries?

[Assasin]

We definately missed the boat but it is not too late. We don't have the novelty of the high end tourism business we once had but there is a very big market out there if we can provide very short vacation. If you notice in the heart of the recession we had more tourist. One of the reason was airfare was cheap. People could get tickets for under 300 dollars and get hotel for 2 for under 700 dollars for a week. That is competitive with Disney, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Now there is less planes and the prices have gone above 500 dollars and hotels are now higher.

We have to be able to offer some affordable travel, as there is a hugh market out there for that kind of vacation. I have also notice recently a few people are realising that cultural and Jamaican entrepreneurs are finding niche market in transportation and small low cost attractions. We need a few more people to with a few more ideas to create these attractions which will give people a taste of Jamaica.

As for housing for tourism workers, that is a winner and much more need to be done. I need to put write my paper on tourism and pointing out areas I think improvement is needed as I did back in 1989 and got the attention of the JTB.

As you know tourism need to be in our school curiculum as well.

[Historian]

I Share Your Views

We need a few more people to with a few more ideas to create these attractions which will give people a taste of Jamaica.

As for housing for tourism workers, that is a winner and much more need to be done. I need to put write my paper on tourism and pointing out areas I think improvement is needed as I did back in 1989 and got the attention of the JTB.

As you know tourism need to be in our school curiculum as well.

Once again, I fully agree with you that there is an urgent need for tourism in the curriculum of high schools in Jamaica. It should be an elective, but should be made highly visible enough to encourage a large number of students to study this potentially lucrative field. I’m tempted also to suggest that maybe the Caribbean Examinations Council should gradually introduce it as a CSEC subject, given the primacy of tourism in ALL Caribbean economies today.

I’m not sure if we would be able to have sufficient content to introduce Tourism as a subject from the primary school level, however. Also, it is absolutely important that the (still) incredible levels of violent crime in Jamaica be reduced immediately, which is one reason why I completely disagreed with the hasty end to the recent state of emergency!

Two other subjects that need to be introduced as a matter of urgency in all Jamaican schools -- starting at the primary school level and going on until fifth form in high schools -- is Spanish. And Spanish should not be an elective subject (that is, should not be optional)! I find it incredible that we are surrounded by so many Spanish-speaking neighbors (Mexico in North America, six of the seven Central American countries, most of South America, and three large Caribbean islands) with massive populations, and yet most Jamaicans would not be able to understand a single sentence if one of those people spoke!

Finally, music education should be introduced and encouraged as a core subject in primary school and as an elective subject in high school. (You know by now, I am sure, that I do not have a high opinion of the quality of music inside Jamaica.)

Ed Bartlett, I must confess, has been working very hard at improving the Jamaican tourism product and experience, and he should be commended.

[TDowl]

"Jamaica missed the proverbial boat big-time after Castro’s Cuban revolution" True True, one example was the neglect of the Negril Development plan, that had the housing component for workers was slated to be on the Westmoreland side also the International Airport, the beach strip was not suppose to have any structure on the beach side, missing components was the canals(intercostal) and it was said that Negril would be base on a Miami Beach.

If only I could find the original plans..