Climate change is a serious threat to tourism
Published:Saturday | December 12, 2020 | 12:09 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
We are at a critical juncture in our lives, because we depend so much on tourism and it is such a fragile industry. Climate change is a cause of concern because we are dependent on tourism. The tourist spots have to be made safe for the visitors, and we will have to devise strategic and well carved-out methodologies of securing the tourism infrastructure. Without proper protective measures in place, we may have to pay dearly for our lack of vision in the near future. With the coronavirus wreaking havoc on our already-fragile economy, we will have to think out of the box.
With culture tourism, sports tourism, green tourism, ecotourism, plus the sea, sand, sun – these are some of the niche-market areas. Our niche-product spots need to be examined seriously and urgently, with the best minds available to ensure that we can make some very effective decisions with our problem-solving skills. On December 6, 2020, I read in the New York Times on the measures taken by Mexico in protecting their coastal reefs in Cancun and Tulum. They insured the reefs to protect them against storms and hurricanes for US$9 billion. They got their first payout at the end of the just-concluded hurricane season for US$850,000.
Jamaica may look at insuring the beaches, reefs and cays, to get some protection against any adverse conditions. Most definitely, we have to think fast and find creative mechanisms which will help us to maintain our dominance in tourism in the region. If we fail to protect our seven-mile beach in Negril, it will be a disaster. We can use the cheapest methods of protecting our coastlines by using the conventional groynes. We will definitely have to look at how we tackle climate change with a renewed vigour, to ensure that we can develop sustainable tourism.
PARIS TAYLOR