Tweet
“The tours, which are interactive, start with a walk through the river (a natural stream of the Montego River),” said Hutchinson-Ffrench . “The experience offers visitors the chance to meet the people experience and enjoy roots and culture presentations on the history of the Rastafarian movement in Jamaica.”
Currently there is an average of three tours a week, which have been bringing in between 20 and 50 guests weekly. When it is fully completed, and after some marketing, McKenzie figures that number will triple that.
To reach international and local guests alike, McKenzie said that the marketeing will be online, via its website and on the JTB’s website.
The plan is to also place advertisements on cable and local television and place brochures at the airport.
The RIV doesn’t exactly operate like a company, but is rather a co-operative, or consortium of individuals who offer various services, and who are considered to be self-employed.
For instance, community members produce crafts and and items and sell to tourists. “These enterprises put money back into the village to ensure it’s sustainable,” the director said.
What’s more, this alternative tourism product includes visitor interaction with the local community.
The principal tourism product is a “Rastafari experience” targeting the educational, cultural, peaceful eco-tourist,” said McKenzie.
This experience, according to the village member, spans to the outside of the village, where the guests can interact with the communities of Irwin and Portobello.
RIV has since then been endorsed by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Wykeham McNeill as “a very good community-based tourism project which is poised to bring tremendous benefits to Jamaica”.
Under REDI, new facilities are being introduced in the village and existing infrastructure upgraded. Guides are also being trained.
The contribution of the Rastafari Africa Hall Benevolent Society to the current development was 17 per cent of total project cost, representing largely property value.
The JSIF investment of approximately $18 million was also used to build a craft booth, multi-purpose area to be used for conference meetings and yoga sessions, interactive multi-media museum, signage, and for the marketing material.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busin...#ixzz2JTkoThgc
Currently there is an average of three tours a week, which have been bringing in between 20 and 50 guests weekly. When it is fully completed, and after some marketing, McKenzie figures that number will triple that.
To reach international and local guests alike, McKenzie said that the marketeing will be online, via its website and on the JTB’s website.
The plan is to also place advertisements on cable and local television and place brochures at the airport.
The RIV doesn’t exactly operate like a company, but is rather a co-operative, or consortium of individuals who offer various services, and who are considered to be self-employed.
For instance, community members produce crafts and and items and sell to tourists. “These enterprises put money back into the village to ensure it’s sustainable,” the director said.
What’s more, this alternative tourism product includes visitor interaction with the local community.
The principal tourism product is a “Rastafari experience” targeting the educational, cultural, peaceful eco-tourist,” said McKenzie.
This experience, according to the village member, spans to the outside of the village, where the guests can interact with the communities of Irwin and Portobello.
RIV has since then been endorsed by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Wykeham McNeill as “a very good community-based tourism project which is poised to bring tremendous benefits to Jamaica”.
Under REDI, new facilities are being introduced in the village and existing infrastructure upgraded. Guides are also being trained.
The contribution of the Rastafari Africa Hall Benevolent Society to the current development was 17 per cent of total project cost, representing largely property value.
The JSIF investment of approximately $18 million was also used to build a craft booth, multi-purpose area to be used for conference meetings and yoga sessions, interactive multi-media museum, signage, and for the marketing material.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/busin...#ixzz2JTkoThgc