Tourism taking off - McNeill

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr Wykeham McNeill says that the tourism sector is experiencing significant growth with 2,500 new rooms either under construction, being renovated, or to come on stream by the end of the year.

According to McNeil, the increase in guest accommodation will see "unprecedented expansion" in the sector.

"Our tourism sector is taking off. It's doing very well," said McNeill, while addressing a Mayberry Investments Limited Monthly Investor Forum last week.

He attributed the expansion of the tourism sector to favourable investor opinion of the country's economy.

"There are a number of reasons for that. The first has to do with the economy of Jamaica as it is now. There is the reality that investors are coming here.

"They are looking at Jamaica and they are feeling very positive about our economy. Our debt and our economy are moving in the right direction, and if your economy is going well, (investors) say well, maybe this is a good place to invest," said McNeill as he projected that the expansion would continue over a four to 10-year period with the construction of an additional 7,000 new rooms.