Tourism transport operators reject new umbrella group

WESTERN BUREAU:

Amid growing unrest in the tourism transport sector, JUTA, JCAL, and Maxi Tours are slated to meet with Transport Minister Daryl Vaz in Kingston today to address what they say is a direct threat to the industry’s structure and legitimacy.

The meeting comes as the associations raise alarm over a newly formed umbrella group, established without their input, and a string of unresolved issues they say have long been ignored.

At the centre of the latest dispute is the formation of the Jamaica Tourism Ground Transportation Association (JTGTA), which the longstanding operators say was registered in April 2025 without consultation and has since been endorsed by the Junior Tourism Minister Senator Delano Seiveright.

JUTA President Simon Lawrence, in a letter to his members, said that the JTGTA is claiming regulatory oversight of Jamaica’s tourism transportation sector despite being formed without input from JUTA or its counterparts.

“We do not recognise that body as having any authority to act on our behalf,” Lawrence wrote, describing the move as a direct challenge to the legitimacy of established associations that have served the industry for decades.

“This new development threatens the structure, unity, and credibility of our industry. We are actively engaging the Government for clarity,” added Lawrence, who represents approximately 1,200 JUTA members in Montego Bay.

DEMANDS

The associations are also renewing longstanding demands for seats on critical tourism and transport agencies, including the Jamaica Tourist Board, the Tourism Product Development Company, the Transport Authority, and the Tourism Enhancement Fund. They argue that formal representation on these boards would enable them to help shape policy and stay informed about developments that directly impact their members.

“Having a seat at the table would ensure our voice is heard in decisions affecting the transportation and tourism product,” Lawrence said in a separate letter addressed to Minister Vaz.

Other pressing issues on the agenda include the insurgence of ride-share companies such as Uber, restricted hotel access for longstanding operators, and “park selling” at various resorts. These problems, Lawrence says, have plagued the sector for years without resolution.

JUTA, JCAL, and Maxi Tours state that all formal negotiations must be conducted with their duly elected leadership, as they remain the legally recognised bodies responsible for representing tourism transport operators across Jamaica.

All three organisations boast a membership of over 4,000 islandwide, with JUTA having not only the largest market share but also history as the longest-serving transportation provider in the tourism industry, established 52 years ago.

All eyes are on today’s meeting, where industry players are hoping for reassurances from the Government and a reaffirmation of the sector’s traditional governance structures.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com