World-class attractions boosting stopovers

Jamaica's world-class attractions are becoming a catalyst for the tourism sector, acting as major pull factors to get many cruise and short-term visitors to return for longer stays.

This, according to industry players, has been having a trickled-down effect, where stakeholders such as craft traders, transport operators, and restaurant owners, have all benefited.

Owner of Wata Land Eco Fun Park in St Mary, Gobind Dansinghani, said Jamaica has learnt from the experiences of places like New Orleans, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Miami Beach.

The state-owned Dunn's River Falls attracts thousands of visitors per year from the cruise ships, scores of whom return to boost stopover arrivals. "There is no underestimating the power of Dunn's River Falls and the contribution it continues to make towards our growing tourism numbers," declared St Ann Development Company's Janice Chong.

Meanwhile, senior director of the Royal Shop, Ravi Daswani, said Jamaica boasts some of the finest duty-free stores in the world, and that many visitors also come back for the shopping experience.