Gordon Robinson | Throwing Jamaican tourism under the bus
Published:Sunday | April 7, 2024 | 12:06 AM
There’s plenty to criticise this Government about (and I’m always happy to oblige) but none of those issues involve its stellar performance in tourism.
By the end of 2019, just before the plague arrived, tourism revenues as a percentage of GDP rose from its all time low of 14.26 per cent (2011) to 23 per cent (using GDP in current prices). Arrivals declined by 60 per cent in 2020 and again in 2021 (compared to 2019) although 2021 increased slightly over 2020.
In 2022, arrivals increased by 117 per cent to 3.3 million and earned US$3.7 billion or 22 per cent of GDP. Last year’s best estimates were 4.12 million visitors (24 per cent up from 2022). Jamaica earned revenues of US$4.3b or about 23 per cent of GDP which itself grew by 19 per cent (in current prices) since 2019. We are already “caught up” in tourism earnings as a percentage of GDP and the trajectory is up.
So why does it appear that USA Government, assisted by false or misleading hyperbole from USA media, seems determined to derail Jamaica’s tourism?
On February 24, rochesterfirst.com posted a report headlined “Jamaica, Bahamas and parts of Europe under travel advisory”. Well, jeez, that’s news. NOT! Every country is the subject of a U.S. travel advisory.
What the actual firchenzee?
But that headline is only an example of what Old BC (graduate of Wives College) would call “lying by omission.” It’s not saying anything directly false. For that achievement, you can always depend on Fox News whose January 30 headline read:
“Jamaica spike in murders triggers travel warning to Americans visiting Caribbean Island Nation.”
Really? Seriously? What spike? Jamaica experienced 65 murders in January as against 81 in January 2023. That’s a 20 per cent decline following an 18 per cent decline in major crimes during 2023.
“Triggers”? Triggers what? Jamaica (and the world) has been the subject of U.S. travel advisories (NOT “warnings”) since Adam was a boy.
The Washington Post (February 1, 2024) headline: “U.S. urges travelers to reconsider visiting Jamaica amid violence.”
It. Did. NOT!
New York Post January 30 headline “Jamaica travel warning issued after 65 murders in just four weeks”
DWL! It’s not a “warning”. It’s an advisory. 65 murders in January aren’t good news but significantly better than January 2023. Nobody was “rocked.”
The article goes on: “The crimes have become so pervasive that tourists aren’t even safe in the shelter of their resorts, the embassy said”
But the Embassy said no such thing. If it had said that, it would be a candidate for Bellevue. As I pointed out earlier, over 3 million visitors came to Jamaica in 2023. Fifty-two crimes (or 0.01 per cent of visitors) were reported. Most victims were Jamaican-Americans involved in illegal activity. There were FIVE homicides (2 gang related; one interpersonal; 2 robberies) all involving Jamaican-Americans far away from resort areas. ZERO murders of American tourists were recorded.
It. Is. Safe. To. Travel. To. Jamaica!
I have been a rover
I have walked alone
Hiked a hundred highways
Still in all I’m happy
The reason is, you see,
once in a while, along the way,
Love’s been good to me
Love’s Been Good to Me was written and recorded by Rod McKuen in 1964. The landmark cover was done by the “Chairman of the Board”, Francis Albert Sinatra, in 1969, with music arranged by the great Don Costa. My favourite cover is the first cut of a 1971 album named Soulful Experience recorded at Dynamics Sounds Studio, Bell Road. The vocalist was superb Jamaican balladeer Boris Gardiner who was also the album’s producer, arranger, and bass guitar player. Musicians included Peter Ashbourne on Electric Piano; Keith Sterling on organ; and the iconic Larry McDonald on percussion/congos. It’s a little known fact that legendary pianist Marjorie Whylie helped with background vocals. In that song, when Boris sang “there was a girl in Portland” we knew he was talking about our Eastern Parish and not an Oregon city.
BTW, the lazyman’s online encyclopaedia won’t tell you any of this. It doesn’t even list Soulful Experience in Boris’ discography!
Like Leroy Sibbles, Boris was a great bass player who worked with many bands including the outstanding Carlos Malcolm and his Afro-Jamaican Rhythms; in his teens, led the Rhythm Aces before forming the Boris Gardner Happening. But it was as a romantic singer that he came to Jamaican prominence. Then, in 1986, he became an overnight sensation after 26 years when I Wanna Wake Up with you became UK’s Number One.
An excerpt from one of his early hits, Commanding Wife, became a jingle for a featured selection (She Who Must Be Obeyed’s Hatpin Pick) in my 2013 horseracing preview programme The Angel and the Tout. Boris, one of Old BC’s favourites, is still going strong at 81 and can out sing most of today’s “stars”.
A tweaked Love’s been good to me should be JTB’s anthem. Nowhere in tourists’ global roving will they find more receptive, warm and loving hosts than in Jamaica.
Yet New York Post doubled down with its attack on Jamaica’s suitability:
“U.S Embassy in Jamaica upgraded the travel advisory to a Level 3 ‘Reconsider travel’ which is just one level short of the most severe which warns Americans against travel altogether.”
FACT: Jamaica’s travel advisories have been at Level 3 since March 2022 when it was reduced from Level 4 where it was during the pandemic. The only mild “warning” in the current Advisory is:
“Emergency services and hospital care vary throughout the island, and response times and quality of care may vary from U.S. standards. Public hospitals are under-resourced and cannot always provide high level or specialized care. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care. Ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural areas…..
“We strongly encourage you to obtain traveler’s insurance, including medical evacuation insurance, before traveling to Jamaica…
Be aware that U.S. Medicare/Medicaid does not apply overseas. Most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance....”
What has changed since 2021 (not 2023 or 2024) is the tenor of these advisories. Previously the advisory stated:
“While the vast majority of crimes occur in impoverished areas, random acts of violence, such as gunfire, may occur anywhere. The primary criminal concern for tourists is becoming a victim of theft.”
Okay. Fair enough. This is so everywhere. But, since 2021, Jamaica’s advisory includes:
“Violent crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults and homicides are common….”
Mebbe but NOT with American tourists as victim! So why are we frightening them? Half of USA is already gullible enough to swallow MAGA conspiracy theories so highly likely to believe this scare tactic applies to them.
“Sexual assaults occur frequently including at all inclusive resorts…”
In 2023 ZERO were reported to the police. What I know from my experience being closely associated to a local five star resort is that sexual encounters, although prohibited, do happen but complaints usually arise only if dalliances become known.
So why was U.S.A. so reasonable between 2016 and 2020 then so disingenuous with innuendo since 2021? What happened in 2020/21? I don’t visit that unhappy country so all that stands out for me from afar is that, in Jamaica, a right-of-centre conservative party was re-elected while, in U.S.A., a right wing party lost the White House to a left-of-centre President.
In March 2019, Jamaica’s PM was among a select few Caribbean leaders invited to a Maralago meeting with the then President. In December 2023, the same PM was on a “working visit” to Washington DC where he met with U.S. National Security Advisor. President Joe Buddy was nowhere in sight – didn’t even drop in to say “hi”.
In 2024, U.S.A. national elections will focus on abortion rights and border control. Former President and current Republican nominee Agent Orange has sabotaged Joe Buddy’s border protection legislation (was bi-partisan) in order to whip him with the issue while campaigning. Poll results are tight.
Why are U.S. right-wing media suddenly beating up on Jamaica’s tourism? Who are they trying to frighten? What’s the subliminal message as to who is more likely to protect you from rampaging murderous foreigners (or who Agent Orange calls “animals”)? What did Jake Sullivan tell Andrew in December? What did Antony Blinken tell him at the Pegasus? Is Jamaica in danger of catching a tourism cold from America’s political sneezing?
Peace and Love.
Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com