St Thomas Tourism Destination  & Management Plan has identified 51 projects for implementation over next decade

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has unveiled the government’s ambitious plan to make St Thomas Jamaica’s next resort parish.

This is being done through the St Thomas Tourism Destination Development & Management Plan, which has been completed and will be unveiled within this fiscal year. In making the announcement, as he opened the 2021-2022 Sectoral Debate in Parliament last evening, Bartlett disclosed that the plan has identified 51 projects for implementation over the next decade to 2030.

Of this number, 40 projects will be led by the Ministry of Tourism.

“The Destination Assessment of St Thomas identified that the parish has numerous attractions and places suitable for the development of tourist accommodation of various types, which should appeal to a wide cross-section of prospective visitors,” the minister told Parliament.

He made the point that St Thomas’s close proximity to Kingston and especially to the Normal Manley International Airport suggests that considerable tourism development is possible, which will serve as a catalyst for the wider social and economic development of the parish. 

He reported that the Andrew Holness administration remains committed to adding depth and diversity to Jamaica’s tourism product while providing economic viability in communities beyond Jamaica’s traditional resort areas.

More equitable, sustainable and inclusive tourism

“This will lay the foundation for a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive tourism sector that benefits all Jamaicans. It is for this reason we are forging ahead with our plans to develop new resort areas, in places such as St Thomas, which is the new frontier,” the tourism minister explained.

He stated that his ministry has made significant headway with the development of the support framework that will include product development, training, improvement of relevant infrastructure, and access to financing for rural communities.  

On the matter of tourism incubator and funding, Bartlett said the Government intends to establish a tourism incubator to nurture new and ‘start-up tourism enterprises.

“We will initiate discussions with potential partners, such as the University of Technology Jamaica, the University of the West Indies (Mona), Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) and Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) by 2023 to foster innovative ideas on how we can differentiate our sector from our competition, in keeping with our Blue Ocean Strategy,” Bartlett said.

“We will also be seeking partnerships for the provision of grants and loans to support the development and commercialisation of ideas generated from the incubator.”

He pointed to the fact that these products and services will require targeted investments and will provide an opportunity to bring more Jamaicans into the tourism value chain as producers. As such, his ministry will be working with the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, JAMPRO and JBDC to develop a fulsome Tourism Investment Strategy to generate greater investment in attractions, activities, entertainment and niche accommodation.