Athaliah Reynolds, Staff Reporter

SMITH

The current political campaign and anticipation of general elections this year, have had no negative effects on the country's tourism sector, according to Director of Tourism Basil Smith.

Speaking yesterday at the weekly luncheon of the Rotary Club of Kingston, held at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston, Mr. Smith said the Jamaica Tourist Board had sensed no impact on tourism arrivals or the demand for tourism in Jamaica, as a result of the upcoming general election.

"There is no sense of anxiety or consternation about the elections, there hasn't really been any reason to be," he said.

Confident

The tourism director was also quite confident that there would be a boost in tourist arrivals for the summer period.

"Prospects are looking quite good," he said. In fact, the decline that we've been having out of the U.S. will start to bottom out during the summer and it's not going to keep plunging."