Allen demands urgent overhaul of tourism sector
Published:Monday | December 2, 2024 | 12:08 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
In a passionate address to the Senate on Friday, Senator Janice Allen, opposition spokesperson on tourism, painted a stark picture of Jamaica’s tourism sector, calling for decisive action to reverse what she described as neglect, mismanagement, and broken promises.
Allen lamented the deteriorating conditions in Jamaica’s major resort towns, including Montego Bay in St James, Ocho Rios in St Ann, Negril in Westmoreland, and Port Antonio in Portland, which she said no longer reflect the vibrancy and promise of the island’s tourism brand. She singled out Montego Bay, her birthplace, as emblematic of the broader issues facing the sector, describing it as a city in disrepair, with broken sidewalks, dirty streets, and a lack of critical infrastructure.
“It does not look like the centre of tourism, nor does it feel like it,” Allen declared. She criticised the current state of Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, once a hub of activity, now reduced to a shadow of its former self despite repeated promises of revitalisation.
“Right now, it’s neither hip nor a strip – I don’t know what it is,” she quipped, pledging a transformative approach under a future People’s National Party (PNP) administration.
A focal point of Allen’s criticism was the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), established in 2004 under a PNP administration to reinvest tourism earnings into community development and infrastructure. According to Allen, the TEF has strayed from its original purpose, with little evidence of meaningful investment in towns like Montego Bay.
“Other than the sign at the airport, I have seen no real investment of TEF funds in Montego Bay,” she asserted. “No new attractions, no upgrades to the craft markets, no improvements at the cruise ship port – nothing!”
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett did not escape her scathing critique, as the senator questioned the effectiveness of his leadership and the much-touted SPARK programme announced by the Government. In fact, she labelled it another example of promises that fail to deliver meaningful results for the sector.
“The spark naa spark!’” she exclaimed, mocking the programme’s lack of visible results.
Roadworks under SPARK, however, has not yet officially got under way.
“In Lucea, traffic congestion turns what should be a gateway to Jamaica’s beauty into a frustrating bottleneck, emblematic of the inefficiency stifling growth. Across the island, crumbling road networks leave drivers losing tyres, front-end parts, and patience, starkly highlighting the unmet promises of prosperity.
‘Political pageantry’
Ocho Rios, she said, once the jewel of the north coast, has been dulled by poor planning, overcrowding, and inadequate facilities, while Portland, with its breathtaking natural beauty, remains overshadowed by chronic neglect and underinvestment.
Accusing the Government of relying on flashy initiatives and hollow rhetoric while Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure continues to crumble, she said, “For nearly a decade, this administration has talked about development, yet our infrastructure is miles behind where it needs to be. Promises have become nothing more than political pageantry – words without action, talk without results.”
She used the Senate floor to call for a comprehensive restoration of tourist towns, emphasising that piecemeal projects and cosmetic fixes are insufficient. Instead, she proposed a bold, sustainable plan to invest in public spaces, enhance infrastructure, and create a cleaner, safer, and more organised environment for both visitors and locals.
Addressing recent travel advisories and the impact of climate change, Allen highlighted the fragility of the tourism sector under the current administration. She pointed to the January 2024 United States travel advisory, which she said delivered a significant blow to investor confidence and led to a sharp decline in arrivals.
“Just this past Sunday, a hotelier confided in me, ‘This is the worst year yet for our properties’,” she claimed, noting the ripple effects on small operators and the broader economy.
Climate change, too, has exposed vulnerabilities in the sector. The passage of Hurricane Beryl, which caused significant damage despite sparing Jamaica a direct hit, underscored the lack of robust mitigation and adaptation strategies. Resorts reported a 28 per cent decline in net revenue and a 14.1 percentage point drop in occupancy for the September quarter.
Allen closed her presentation with a commitment to fixing the sector’s woes under a PNP administration. She pledged to dedicate TEF funds to revitalising resort towns, preserving beaches, and upgrading water and sewerage infrastructure, all while ensuring that the benefits of tourism reach more Jamaicans.
“Our tourist towns deserve so much more than the neglect they’ve endured,” she said. “The PNP will not settle for half-measures or hollow promises. We will fix it.”