Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU -
Jamaicans living overseas will, for the first time, be targeted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in its advertising campaigns, as part of the marketing component of the 10-year Master Plan for Tourism.
Tourism officials want visiting Jamaicans to view themselves as tourists, and spend more money by renting cars and staying in guest houses and villas. The overseas Jamaican market was never pursued before, according to Sunil Sinha, lead consultant in the Ministry of Tourism.
"We have never gone to them and offered them a package," Mr. Sinha told The Sunday Gleaner said last week. "Visiting Jamaicans don't come (here) in the same way as people who are not Jamaican. They use different travel agents, often buy seat only and spend a lot of money to get here."
Mr. Sinha said the JTB will be asked to design a package to suit the needs of Jamaicans living abroad who want to visit the island.
"It might consist of a flight, a rent-a-car and spending a little time in a guest house or villa in some part of the country which is different from where they come from," he added. "...We have a lot to offer them and they shouldn't come to Jamaica and just stay in a house."
Advertising the parishes as individual destinations is also being considered for the plan, Mr. Sinha said.
"The fact is that if the market is fragmenting and people want different things, then the wonderful thing with Jamaica is that you could offer 14 different destinations," he explained. "Each parish could be a destination, and their characters are very different. What we are really ought to be trying to do is to market those 14 different products... That is the way to go."
The Tourism Master Plan was unveiled two weeks ago to mixed reactions from tourism interests islandwide. Persons have been stating their concerns and suggestions, in a series of consultations hosted by the Ministry of Tourism.
Consultations were held in Port Antonio, Ocho Rios, Kingston, Montego Bay and Negril.
Tourism interests in all the areas, expressed concern over whether the projected US$2 billion required to fund the plan, will be realized.
Funding for the Master Plan is expected to come primarily from the private sector, through investment in hotels and attractions. That should amount to roughly 73 per cent of the cost.
The public sector-led project will need just over US$542 million, with nearly US$220 million to come from the Government of Jamaica.
