AS CRICKET WORLD Cup approaches, checks on the Unique Jamaicans website have revealed that some 58 houses have been advertised as Bed and Breakfast facilities and many more are to be added soon, according to the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDco).

Of the dwellings listed, 25 are located in Kingston and St. Andrew and are found in the more affluent areas such as Norbrook, Jack's and Beverley hills.

St. Catherine has 14 dwellings registered on the site while St. James (five), Trelawny (three), St. Ann (four), and Hanover and St. Mary one dwelling each are the other parishes that are being advertised to persons travelling to Jamaica or cricket's show piece event which starts officially on March 11.

Yesterday, Barrington Payne, acting executive director of the TPDco, said, "The Bed and Breakfast Home Stay programme is a success story in the making, with over 225 such establishments being currently registered on the website, and 215 home owners/operators, and 57 hackney carriage operators trained to date ...".

Mr. Payne was speaking at the awards ceremony and mini expo for the programme at the Knutsford Court Hotel, St. Andrew yesterday.

Dwellings considered under the Bed and Breakfast programme have to be private homes and with no more than four available bedrooms for compensation. These premises were subjected to numerous pre-inspection and an evaluation component done by the Ministry of Tourism. Owners were subjected to a mandatory 20-hour hospitality training course inclusive of food handler's permit, fire prevention and precautions, customer service, security alertness and clearance.