Jamaica Plans Expansion in Hotels, Other Travel Options in Caribbean

Jamaica Plans Expansion in Hotels, Other Travel Options in Caribbean
By Karl Dickey

Almost 16,000 additional hotel rooms are planned for the Caribbean island of Jamaica in the next few years creating 20,000 tourism jobs and attracting $60 billion in investment capital.

The aggressive expansion is part of a new plan by new Jamaican president Andrew Holness. Yesterday he said, "Despite several periods of global, economic and political turbulence, this institution [Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association], established in November, 1961, has continued to be critical for growth and development of the tourist industry in Jamaica. I feel proud to have such talent and commitment serving Jamaica."

Holness added that five decades ago, when the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association was established, the country recorded some 224,000 stopover arrivals and 69,000 crew ship visitors, earning approximately $37 million at the time.

Between January and September of this year, the country welcomed 763,000 crew ship and 1.5 million stopover visitors, earning US$1.5 billion, and projections are for a six per cent growth in arrivals.