Skyrocketing tourist arrivals expose need for more Airbnb facilities
Published:Tuesday | July 30, 2024 | 12:09 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
Portland:
Port Antonio in Portland is experiencing a major challenge in providing Airbnb services to visitors from overseas who have been arriving in droves to the resort town on trips organised by Basil Burke, a native of the parish.
Burke, who has been actively engaged in the posting of videos on his popular YouTube channel, Drizzy Burke Walking TV, depicting activities and places of attraction in Portland for the better part of seven years, has managed to tap into an overseas audience from countries including the United States, England, Canada, France, Spain, and Germany.
As a result of Burke being able to capture the hearts of many, internationally, the requests to have a first-hand experience of the Jamaican culture - including its dialect, music, gastronomy, the river side, and indigenous plants - are many. As such, the demand for occupancy at Airbnb locations is now in high demand as it offers a unique type of tourism in a home-stay-type environment.
“I have 150 visitors slated to come in on the weekend who want to stay at privately owned and operated Airbnbs in Port Antonio, which will offer them a real Jamaica home kind of experience,” Burke told The Gleaner.
“This a lot different from the traditional hotel experience and service that tourists are accustomed to, but there is a challenge as Airbnbs in Portland are limited, and this puts a serious strain on the scheduled arrival of visitors who are craving for the local experience outside of the hotel setting. These people want to go on river visits to witness and experience meals being cooked on the river banks and people jumping into the water.
“They want to learn our patois and engage in face-to-face discussions. These are persons that have developed a likeness for our reggae music and also our way of dancing. So a lot is happening for Portland, but sad to say that based on the shortage of Airbnbs here, I am forced to take them to other parishes, including St Ann, Trelawny, and St Mary. Portland is losing valuable income, and this is a viable tourism product.”
Airbnb is an American company operating an online market place for short- and long-term home stays and experiencesn wherein the company acts as a broker and charges a commission from each booking. Airbnb, founded in 2008, is the most well-known company for short-term housing rentals.
“The amount of money that the Portland people are losing per week is crazy, and it makes me feel bad. There are a variety of options in Kingston, and most people want Airbnbs that are reasonable and that is not available. The parish is short on Airbnbs, and even though I am making my own money, as a Portlander, I want the people of my parish to get their share of the pie.
“On the other hand, I am very proud of myself. From where this channel is coming from and where it is right now, it is truly a blessing. My channel still manages to attract dignitaries and officials, but the only drawback is that there are not enough Airbnbs in the parish,” he concluded.
In the meantime, Burke, who remains committed to bringing visitors to the parish, noted that the natural look, picturesque beauty, and lush vegetation and other offerings allow for Portland to easily attract visitors who, according to him, are captivated by Boston jerk pork, white-sand beaches, friendly people, the low crime rate, and local dishes.