THE TOURISM sector is projected to create some 958 jobs over the next two years from the construction of six hotels that were granted incentives for expansion under the Hotel Incentives Act in the last financial year.
The jobs to be created comprise 285 permanent and 673 temporary positions. The expansion of the six hotels will also see an additional 274 rooms being built.
Minister of Industry and Tourism, Aloun N'dombet Assamba, made the disclosure during her contribution to the 2003/04 Sectoral Debate at in the House of Representatives last week.
"Over the last fiscal year, 10 hotels were granted incentives under the Hotel Incentives Act, four of which were newly built and six underwent expansion to increase their room stock," she said.
Of the four new hotels that received incentives, Minister Assamba said that 560 rooms were constructed with a capital investment of $2.5 billion and estimated employment of 1,600 persons.
Turning to the recently concluded Short-Term Incentive Programme, Minister Assamba said that eight hotels and one villa were granted incentives to upgrade their properties.
INCENTIVES
Additionally, the Tourism Minister reported that Cabinet also recently approved a package of new incentives specifically for the attractions sub-sector. "These incentives will be available for the establishment, refurbishing, conservation, reconstruction and repositioning of attractions in the marketplace, all in the effort to boost the attractions sub-sector," she said.
Under this package, the Minister said that Cabinet also granted approval for the importation of specific items free of General Consumption Tax (GCT) and custom duty for five years as well as a five-year exemption from corporate taxes for investors.
