Tourism In Jamaica
The Answer to Economic Growth?
Tourism in Jamaica spans more than the hotels, restaurants and the attractions.
The industry also encompasses many other businesses such as the farmers, the craft vendors, and the tour companies.
The natural landscape on the island effortlessly facilitates the industry.
Today, Jamaica’s tourism is the second highest foreign exchange earner behind remittances.
The Jamaica tourist industry is so significant to this island that one in every four people is employed within the industry.
A key benefit of tourism in Jamaica is that many individuals and companies benefit from the industry directly and indirectly.
History
Tourism was not
always the top industry in Jamaica. For a long time, agriculture was the leading revenue generator.
It was after 1920s that going to places of interest were really discovered by the government of Jamaica and has since seen major developments and investments from local and overseas investors.
In the 1920s, only a few thousand tourists visited Jamaica annually. In 2012, over three million persons vacationed on this beautiful island.
That goes to show the impact that tourism is now having on Jamaica. In fact, during the recent recession of the late 2000s, Jamaica’s tourist arrivals grew by 4% on average.
Rooms
With over 30,000 rooms in Jamaica, there is a vacation spot for everyone.
Jamaica is an island in the Caribbean offering a wide variety of rooms ranging from small to large accommodations.
Accommodation types consist of hotels, motels, resorts, timeshare hotels, condominiums, conference centers, camps, parks, extended stay, bed and breakfast, ecolodges and cruise ships.
Accommodations differ in design from an ancient luxury European influence to a laid back setting with only a few amenities.
You will find hotel rooms in every parish in Jamaica; however, the majority of the rooms are located in the north coast parishes of Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril.
Food and Beverage
Name any cuisine and Jamaica has a restaurant that serves the food. Popular cuisines include Chinese, Indian, Jamaican, Caribbean, Mexican, and Rastafarian.
Restaurants are located on every main road in Jamaica. Local shops serve as a good alternative to specialty restaurants that may prove to be too expensive for some visitors.
Vendors can be positioned on every street corner, always willing to bargain for their goods.
Meetings and conferences are common in Jamaica, and we have the banquet services to fulfill those needs.
Whether you are vacationing at a hotel or with a friend, the wide assortment of beverages in Jamaica will satisfy all your taste buds.
Most of our drinks are made with local fruits, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic.
Retail Stores
Majority of cruise ship passengers will wait until they arrive in Jamaica to do their shopping because of how heavily discounted the items are.
Souvenir stores can be found in hotels, near cruise piers, and in every major resort area. Of course, the prices on the items will differ.
Art and craft shops specialize in locally manufactured handmade merchandise.
The large shopping malls are home to all styles of souvenirs and the trendiest Jamaican fashion. Food markets offer all our locally produced food items.
Activities
Tourism in Jamaica encompasses more than sun, sea and sand. Business travel, especially in Kingston, is widespread in Jamaica.
Business meetings, conventions and conferences are held every day at our conference centres or hotel ballrooms.
I’m sure that you are familiar with famous Jamaican athletes Usain bolt, Shelly Ann Fraser and Asafa Powell.
Sports, not just track and field, are huge in Jamaica. Cricket, badminton and soccer are favourites by locals.
Take pleasure in water sports activities at any of our beaches, or relax at any of our Spas and experience a massage with local ingredients.
Children will adore our water parks and marinas.
There is fun for adults too. Gambling comes in the form of slot machines, but a law was passed to allow Casino gambling in Jamaica, making way for tourists who like to gamble.
You can also take pleasure in all-day or nightly ethnic, seasonal and cultural festivals.
Services
Tour operators offer a high-quality means
to travel to Jamaica on major airlines; for example, American Airlines, Delta,
US Airways, JetBlue, and Virgin Airlines. You can also rent a car, take a bus
or fly on a domestic airline.
Many travel agencies are available to assist you with booking your vacation
packages.
They can also assist you with meeting planning, convention center, event
planning and destination management.
Community Tourism
Neighborhood tourism is one way to experience the island of Jamaica outside of the large all-inclusive resorts.
You will have the opportunity to mingle with the locals and observe how they live every day.
Engage in conversations with community leaders, eat locally produced food and learn of the history of the community.
For more information on tourism in Jamaica, visit the Jamaica Tourist Board website .
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