Morrison Overseas tourism advertising now specifically targets small tourism properties, but they must meet industry standards, says Minister of Industry and Tourism Aloun Assamba.
The boost comes amid renewed optimism in that sub-sector of the accommodations trade.
The fallout suffered in the tourism industry disproportionately affected the small hotel sector, said Charmaine Beane, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association council member for small hotels. She said, however, that a recovery was now well under way for the smaller properties.
"A lot of small hotels are now looking to the local market," Miss Beane said. Heavy discounting and the longer market reach by bigger properties forced small properties to look to the local market and develop new strategies such as using the Internet to market their properties.
"The smaller hotel sector is a weak spot in the industry," said Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) chairman Dennis Morrison. "It has to do with the very critical need for them to upgrade their offerings to be able to meet the higher standards which are becoming world recognised."
There are plans to "focus specifically on the small hotels," adds minister Assamba said. "The new advertising campaign of the JTB is going to be focused more specifically than in the past on the villas and apartments section of our product."
The Tourism Product Development Company is assessing properties to ensure that minimum standards are met, Miss Beane said.
"As our room stock grows, we expect we will have new rooms coming on stream, but we also expect that there is going to be some fallout," minister Assamba said. There is a role in the industry for the smaller properties, but they have to ensure that the industry standards are met.
"In trying to get owners to upgrade their properties, the state would have to offer something," Mr. Morrison said, for example promoting these properties through public relations and advertising campaigns, "and maybe even increasing the financial assistance that is being given, and fiscal incentives as well."
The goal is to 'rebrand' the small hotel sector, Mr. Morrison said. As well, villas and apartments could be branded as the "Inns of Jamaica or some other brand."
