Andrew Holness Calls for Inclusive Tourism to Benefit All Jamaicans

Kingston, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness is calling for a more inclusive tourism sector that extends its benefits beyond the traditional hotel industry to uplift farmers, small businesses, and families across Jamaica. In a tweet posted on October 20, 2024, Holness emphasized that tourism should be a force for community empowerment, where every dollar spent by visitors positively impacts local livelihoods and drives sustainable growth.

“Tourism must work for everyone, not just hotels,” the Prime Minister wrote. “It should empower our farmers, small businesses, and families across Jamaica. When a visitor spends a dollar here, it should ripple through our communities, supporting livelihoods, driving growth, and uplifting lives.”

Tourism must work for everyone, not just hotels.

It should empower our farmers, small businesses, and families across Jamaica.

When a visitor spends a dollar here, it should ripple through our communities, supporting livelihoods, driving growth, and uplifting lives.

This is… pic.twitter.com/1GwM0ZKFqW

— Andrew Holness (@AndrewHolnessJM) October 20, 2024

The tweet, which garnered over 3,800 views shortly after being posted, reflects Holness’s commitment to broadening the economic benefits of tourism. His message comes at a time when the government is pushing for a more inclusive economic agenda, with particular focus on increasing the share of tourism revenue that directly supports local industries and communities.

Holness’s vision for a “Jamaica where tourism benefits every Jamaican” aligns with ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Tourism to strengthen linkages between the tourism sector and other areas of the economy, such as agriculture and manufacturing. The goal is to ensure that the prosperity generated by Jamaica’s thriving tourism industry reaches people in every corner of the island, especially those in underserved communities.

By focusing on inclusive tourism, Holness aims to address longstanding concerns about the concentration of wealth within the resort industry. Many stakeholders have argued that while tourism is one of Jamaica’s top foreign exchange earners, the economic gains are often limited to large hotels and all-inclusive resorts, with local farmers and small businesses struggling to access the same opportunities.

The Prime Minister’s remarks underscore the importance of adopting a more holistic approach to tourism development, one that prioritizes local sourcing of products and services. Initiatives such as the Tourism Linkages Network, which facilitates partnerships between hotels and local suppliers, are being highlighted as models that can help achieve this vision.

As Jamaica continues to recover from the economic disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the call for a tourism sector that works for all is timely. It signals a shift towards a more sustainable and inclusive growth strategy that aims to build resilience, support grassroots entrepreneurs, and elevate the quality of life for all Jamaicans.

For many Jamaicans, Holness’s statement serves as a reminder of the untapped potential within the tourism sector to drive meaningful change and transform lives beyond the confines of resort areas.

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