A Letter From Jamaica
Jamaica’s minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett, M.P reached out to the travel trade this week to reassure them that Jamaica is “open for business.”
Minister Bartlett writes: “Dear Jamaica Travel Partner. Thank you for your continued support of Destination Jamaica. The new year has started with a lot of excitement. No doubt you have received questions regarding the current state of public emergency for the parish of St. James, implemented by Government.”
He explains that: “A State of Public Emergency is a tool to ensure enhanced security for all persons entering and leaving a particular geographic area. It does not require any modification of movement as restrictions in the stated areas should not adversely impact law abiding persons. All business activities will function as normal including all airports, cruise ports, hotels and attractions.”
And the Minister continues: “Allow me to reassure you, our valued travel partner, that Jamaica remains open for business. The enhanced security measures in St. James have been put into action to ensure the continued safety of our residents and visitors. I am pleased to report that individuals and groups have been enjoying their daily activities throughout the various resort regions, without issue.”
Minister Bartlett points out that: “As a destination, we have been fortunate to have very few negative incidents against visitors, which is borne out in the statistics and we believe the current proactive initiative will only serve to boost our record of safety and security. Note that for 2017 we had in excess of four million visitors (2.3 million stopover and 1.9 million cruise visitors), with over 40% repeat rate.”
He concludes: “We appreciate the great work you do in promoting and selling Jamaica and wish to laud your unwavering commitment. It is our hope that you will continue to help us in getting the word out that all is well in Jamaica, even as we seek to maintain our reputation of providing a safe, secure and satisfying travel experience. We stand ready to assist you should you have any questions.”
