Many tourism businesses have been showing signs that they will have to close permanently as the sector continues to grapple with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In sounding the alarm, Clifton Reader, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), is calling for the Government to further extend SET and BEST Cash grants so as to continue providing desperately needed income assistance to the thousands of workers who are either out of jobs or working only a few hours a week.

He also noted that with tourism businesses remaining in a precarious financial position they have been in discussions with their banks to help them weather the continuing economic storm.

“We urgently need Government’s help in negotiating a comprehensive capital markets solution for the industry that will offer those businesses in need of liquidity a well-needed financial bridge,” Reader said as he also stressed that the hoped-for rebound in the first quarter of 2021 would clearly not materialise.

He noted that several hotels have closed their doors due to reduced inflows of guests because of the pandemic and low forward bookings due to last week’s announced cancellation of flights to Jamaica from Canada, and earlier the United Kingdom (UK), as well as other border closures.  

“The diminished arrival numbers from the UK and Canada, two of our main markets, has had a crippling effect on our businesses and it is only because of a deep commitment and confidence in Brand Jamaica that we are valiantly striving to weather the many storms of COVID-19,” Reader said.

Pointing to a January 2021 JHTA survey among its member properties, the association’s president said approximately 47 per cent of rooms in the hotels surveyed across the island have been closed since last year as a casualty of the pandemic. 

“We’ve been actively working to help ourselves survive, but it has been more than a balancing act, with many in the sector worried they may not be able to remain in business. We remain committed to Jamaica and are doing everything we can to stay afloat and even rebound when the current tide abates.” 

He pointed to the resources invested by hoteliers in adopting the strongest safety protocols.

“Our priorities have been in ensuring the safety of staff, their families, our communities and guests. The  JHTA COVID-19 Ambassadors programme sees us sharing our knowledge with communities islandwide on the benefits of the Tourism Resilient Corridor. The health of our nation must be everyone’s concern and the JHTA will continue doing its part to mitigate the effects on our people.”

Reader said the JHTA has worked collaboratively with the government on the implementation of COVID-19 testing sites at approved hotels as well as at an ever expanding number of private labs, hospitals and doctors’ offices. 

“This push is one of the major strategies utilised to build confidence in the destination COVID-19 management as an increasing number of countries are calling for travellers to have negative COVID-19 tests to board flights to enter their countries,” he said.

“This public private sector collaboration means that visitors can come to Jamaica confident that they can get the PCR or antigen test, as required, to facilitate their entry to their home countries. We are also happy that this provides Jamaicans with private testing capacity.”

Referencing the news that Jamaica will receive its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine this month, Reader said: “We expect that with vaccination programmes under way in our major source markets and soon to begin in Jamaica, the tourism industry is poised to begin its recovery in the next several months.”

He added: “Between now and then, however, the economic challenges the industry faces remain dire; so all our stakeholders, public and private must remain committed to keeping the industry and, particularly, its workers afloat.”