Garwin Davis, Freelance Writer
Melville
JAMAICA'S IMAGE is taking a battering in the main tourism markets, according to hoteliers who have underscored the importance of strong action to curb current crime levels.
Coming off what some have been calling the worst winter tourist season for many years, a number of hoteliers said there were signs of turn-around to the point where the latest figures from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) showed a 7 per cent growth in the sector.
"There is no doubt our image has been taking a beating," said Josef Forstmayer, Montego Bay Chapter chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA). "There are just too many murders taking place and it is important that we do something about the situation".
Mr. Forstmayer said that prior to the gas riots last year, the report that the resort areas would be manned with armed military personnel didn't go over well with the foreign press.
"We have never had a good image where crime is concerned," he added. "Also our image of harbouring a drug and a don culture is having an adverse effect on the entire tourism industry and I don't think blaming government soley for the problem will solve anything."
For her part, Racquel Parkes, assistant manager for the Jamaica Inn Resort in Ocho Rios noted that at a recent function abroad with nearly 200 international travel agents, in her five minutes of presentation of trying to sell her product, she had to spend nearly four minutes defending the country's image.
"The most frustrating thing is that the crime situation is overshadowing all the positives and the outstanding hospitality industry we have here in this country," Miss Parkes said. "We probably need to stop pretending that there is not a problem and adequately deal with the situation".
James Veil, regional vice president for the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, said that there are concerns among travellers about the crime in the country and that it had to be addressed.
"To many people, perception is reality," he said. "There is a growing perception that crime is getting out of control in this country".
And according to Member of Parliament for North East St. Ann, Danny Melville, the decline in the sector was beginning to bite deeply.
"Remember when we were the dominant force in the Caribbean in stopover visitors? Now we can only wistfully look at the top five destinations from the outside. Remember when we had a thriving villa business? We killed that by harassing, robbing and even killing our villa guests' on a regular basis. I know this only too well as villas were once a significant part of my business. It no longer exists as a real factor in my daily routine," Mr. Melville said.
