The effect of tourism “goes beyond the boundaries of the business itself; it ripples through diverse fields, creating a website of opportunities for people.” Tourism-related jobs include, among others, agriculture, entertainment, sights, communications, and travel, according to Jamaica’s Prime Minister Holness.
On December 13, 2023, at Royalton Blue Waters in Trelawny, he was giving the presentation address as part of a particular ribbon-cutting meeting to officially open the new 352-room Hideaway. The growth was completed in only six months with an funding of US$ 40 million.
Hon. Minister of Tourism President of Blue Diamond Resorts Jordi Pelfort and Edmund Bartlett ( left ) join the Most Honorable Prime Minister. On Wednesday, December 13, 2023, Andrew Holness cut the ribbon to formally opened the 352-room Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters in Trelawny.
Following the consequences brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic, Prime Minister Holness told Minister of Tourism, Hon., that Jamaica was on track to bring in about 4.1 million customers this time. ” I think we could complete eight million,” said Edmund Bartlett. Mr. Holness continued to describe his vision, saying,” I think we can,”” we may be ambitious,” and pointing out that” Jamaica has the diversity in its commerce product to get that many customers.”
While he was pleased with the industry’s enormous rise thus far, admonished him,” I think we had set new target, we need to be pushing ourselves more because we have the potential.” According to Prime Minister Holness, “in order to achieve these ambitious goals that will boost our prosperity, we as a people may then start to focus on the elements of our culture, our culture, and the things that define us as people.”
He cited the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s most recent report, which stated that” the hotel and restaurant sector experienced 8 % growth” over the comparable quarter for 2022 for the period July to September 2023.
But, Mr. Holness stated that in order for more people to profit from the tourism sector, more efforts must be made to enhance the connections between commerce and all other industries, particularly agriculture. He claimed that he could hardly stress it enough, but the sustained impact on labor is evident in every new place that is built.
Everything that can be produced here and provided to the visitor who visits here should be made and supplied from here for us to truly benefit from commerce.
He acknowledged that the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourist Enhancement Fund ( TEF), is already advancing significantly. This includes the annual Speed Networking and Christmas in July events ‘ success as well as the Agri-Linkages Exchange ( ALEX ) platform, which has brought in about$ 1 billion in sales from small farmers. Small farmers with 3- and 5-acre lots, as well as yard farmers, are selling to nearby hotels and restaurants as part of the program. The connection between hotels and farmers has been completely transformed by the ALEX program, a joint venture between the TEF and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA ).
But, the prime minister demanded even more advancement than was already made. The next step in strengthening their companies and products, according to Mr. Holness, “is to ensure that there is a parasitic website, not just to work but to the use of Jamaican-made goods and services for the people who come here.” He wanted to make this obvious to all partners in the development of commerce. He emphasized that “ensuring that more Caribbean products enter the hotels is the next frontier of the state.”
Minister Bartlett alluded to additional opportunities by Blue Diamond, which has a partnership with the Marriott global hotel chain, in his remarks thanking them for coming to Jamaica and” the assurance that they continue to show in Destination Jamaica.”
Jordi Pelfort, president of Blue Diamond Resorts, pledged that” we are going to be for a long time” as he expressed his gratitude to the Caribbean government and people after purchasing the house 12 years ago. In contrast to Kerry Ann Quallo-Casserly’s position as Regional Commercial Director for Jamaica at Blue Diamond Resorts, which employs about 95 % of People across its resorts in Negril and Falmouth, he also praised the authority of people in Jamaica.
Prime Minister, the Most Honorable After formally opening the 352-room Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters in Trelawny on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, Andrew Holness ( left ), President of Blue Diamond Resorts, Jordi Pelfort (center ), and Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett, strolled through the property. The creation was completed in just six months with a US$ 40 million investment.
SOURCE: The Prime Minister of Jamaica Calls for an Increase in Arrivals and Strengthening of Links
