Government to spend over $97m to promote brand Jamaica at Rio Olympics

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the government is projecting to spend some US$767,000 or over J$97 million to promote Jamaica in Brazil during the 2016 Olympic Games.

The expenditure will be used to set up Jamaica House 2016 when the Games begin in Rio next month.

Jamaica House is a promotional tool used by the Jamaica Tourist Board at Olympic Games to boost visitor arrivals from the region of host countries.

Bartlett says his ministry is currently securing sponsorship from corporate Jamaica to cover the some of the costs for Jamaica House 2016.

However, he says this year's budget is far less than the US$1.2 million spent during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The Minister maintains that promoting brand Jamaica at the Olympics has yielded positive results, noting that visitor arrivals from England and the rest of Europe increased after promotional activities at the London 2012 games.

Bartlett says he is expecting promotions in Brazil to help boost arrivals from South America which is a new tourism market for Jamaica.

He says he will be meeting with some South American airlines to arrange flights to Jamaica in anticipation of increased visitor arrivals from the continent.

Meanwhile, President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Omar Robinson, notes that tourist arrivals from South America has dropped by approximately three per cent.

He says industry players are confident Jamaica House 2016 can boost visitor arrivals from Brazil and South America.