KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s newest attraction, the much-anticipated Outameni Experience, gives visitors the chance to interact first-hand with the vivid pulse of Jamaica’s heart – its people, culture and history.
The Outameni Experience, which officially launched on September 30, 2007, is the latest among an influx of new attractions geared toward providing insight into the island’s fascinating cultural heritage.
A Walk through Five Centuries
Outameni, a term reputedly used by the Taino Indians to mean “come together,” reflects the island’s motto, “Out of many, one people.” In an interactive journey through 500 years of Jamaican history, the peaceful Taino Indians, Jamaica’s first residents, tell their story of discovery by Columbus, and domination by the Spanish conquistadores. Conquest of the island by the English ushers in a new era in which sugar estates rule, slavery is entrenched, and the Caribbean is the jewel in the King of England’s crown.
Chinese and Indian indentured laborers replace African slave labor and add to the melting pot that is to become modern Jamaica, with the intense contrasts, color and excitement characteristic of this developing nation. The journey from the first Jamaicans to 21st-century dancehall, politics and industrial development is captured in fine architectural details, and in drama, dance, music and rituals, portraying powerful elements of the Jamaican creative spirit.
“Outameni Experience” Underscores Focus on Heritage Tourism
The Outameni Experience is located in Trelawny, on the hills overlooking the North Coast stretch between Montego Bay and Ocho Rios. The attraction was 11 years in the making, and is the concept of Jamaican film producer Lennie Little-White.
Well-Researched, Animated Attractions
In celebrating the opening of Outameni Experience, Jamaica’s newly appointed Minister of Tourism, The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, emphasized the government’s policy of encouraging more attractions that are “anchored in the genuine journeys and experiences of the Jamaican people.” He noted: “Well-researched, animated attractions such as the living heritage at Outameni are a key focus for our initiatives in marketing and promoting the destination.”
Bartlett revealed that in the past year, 41 attractions in Jamaica have benefited from tax breaks or other incentives as the island has sought to diversify the sub-sector, complementing its natural assets with the addition of first-class man-made attractions.
Recent additions to the attractions sub-sector have included water parks such as Kool Runnings in Negril, and expansion by Chukka Caribbean to include an underwater sea trek and canopy tours. There has been expansion also of facilities for swimming with dolphins and other water sports.
Golf, hiking and soft adventure remain staple attractions, and the island has significantly enhanced its capacity to host sporting events. These range from go-karting to major international events, including the World Cup in Cricket 2007, for which the opening ceremony was held at the recently constructed Trelawny Multi-Purpose Sports Complex.
