KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Most Hon Andrew Holness says that government is keen on developing tourism areas so that more Jamaicans, locally, can benefit from growth in the sector.
In presenting the keynote address at the opening of the Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Development, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St James, on Tuesday, November 28, Prime Minister Holness reiterated plans to revitalise tourism towns; but said efforts will be made to ensure that residents benefit from the redevelopment.
“The truth is when we allow local life to be better as citizens, they create the product [and] the experience. They create the authenticity that brings the visitors,” he said. “So when we talk about redevelopment it’s not just to focus on infrastructure, but to make life better for citizens.”
The government plans to establish a bypass for Montego Bay, St James and undertake work to improve the Ocho Rios boardwalk in St Ann; as well as, the town’s main street. There are also plans to improve traffic management in the areas where cruise ship dock. And an artisan village is also planned for the Falmouth Cruise Ship Pier.
Mr Holness announced that following the government’s commitment not to allow mining in the newly established borders of the Cockpit Country, efforts will be made to improve the infrastructure; and to provide support for attractions, such as: the Bunkers Cultural Xperience and Rasta Indigenous Village, to balance recreation and environmental protection of the Cockpit Country’s natural resources.
“As the global economy expands, and tourism along with it, there is strong evidence that tourism, if properly designed and managed, can contribute significantly to the global agenda of tackling poverty and fostering development,” the Prime Minister affirmed.
He said that creating a tourism industry, which enhances opportunities for local communities to leverage their cultural and natural assets and benefit from employment in tourism activities will help to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth.
More than 1,500 delegates from some 60 countries are attending the conference in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Development is being hosted by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), Government of Jamaica, World Bank Group, Inter-American Development Bank and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), with major sponsorship from Airbnb, AM Resorts, Chukka Cove, The Jamaica National Group and Sandals. The Conference, which began Monday, runs through to Wednesday, November 29.
Conference collaborators include the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Chemonics International, and George Washington University. American Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines are airline partners for the conference.
