Jamaica to Focus More on Community Tourism

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says more focus will be placed on community tourism over the next five years, to capitalize on the shift towards heritage and cultural vacations.

He says there has been a move away from the traditional sun, sea and sand vacation concept, as visitors seek to interact more with the people and cultural aspects of their destination of choice.

“As such, it is imperative that our focus be shifted to the development of community-based tourism efforts,” Mr. Bartlett said.

According to him, community tourism facilitates the empowerment of a community by allowing it to maximize on its cultural and heritage assets to create income-generating projects, which also provide a value-added experience for both visitors and residents.

He added that the vacation concept allows for more participation by locals in the decision-making process and, “because they feel a part of it and are realizing the direct potential and impact of tourism to them, pride is created allowing for a better tourism product”.