Letter of the Day | Tourism needs solution-driven approaches

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing in response to The Gleaner editorial of January 11, titled, ‘Tourism, John Byles and linkages’.

First, I must applaud The Gleaner’s continued focus on tourism’s role in Jamaica’s economy and its integration into a national industrial policy. The dialogue on deepening tourism linkages and solutions-driven approaches is both timely and critical.

Tourism fuels economic growth, yet much potential remains untapped. While initiatives like ALEX, the digital platform linking farmers and hotels, are commendable, the sector’s reliance on imported goods – 65 per cent of Jamaica’s $1.4 billion food import bill – is concerning.

Replacing even 20-25 per cent more with local production could transform rural development, employment, and foreign exchange retention. What has been started by tourism through our linkages initiatives needs to be taken by the private sector and other government ministries to an even greater level.

Strategic investments in capacity building across all relevant industries are what is needed, but the question remains: Are we ready to really embrace tourism as a country and not continually have narratives marginalising this industry?

Resilience must evolve into sustainable growth. The addition of 20,000 hotel rooms by 2035, as per the ‘5 x 5 x 5’ plan is an opportunity for Blue Ocean strategic visioning, including eco-friendly practices and zoning for subsectors such as luxury and European Plan accommodations, complemented by even more relevant and practical housing solutions.

Larger tourist volumes create increased demand for locally sourced goods, whether food, furniture, or artisanal products, allowing for more efficient production and distribution.

This supports local businesses in reducing costs per unit, improving quality, and diversifying their offerings. By embedding more local suppliers into the tourism value chain, the industry can leverage this scale to strengthen its competitiveness while fostering inclusive economic growth.

Public-private partnerships must address bottlenecks, incentivise local sourcing, and improve public order, as emphasised by Mayor Richard Vernon’s recently announced Montego Bay’s business improvement district.

Such initiatives enhance the visitors’ and our citizens’ experiences while boosting local businesses (big and small) and overall economic participation.

I support The Gleaner’s call for a structured industrial policy, positioning tourism as the centrepiece of Jamaica’s growth agenda. This is the only way to realise tourism’s full potential, and is the fastest way to achieve inclusive growth for our economy.

We have had a champion in Minister Edmund Bartlett, but what we are talking about now should be an all-of-Jamaica (private sector industries and government ministries) initiative to drive inclusive economic growth.

I remain committed to contributing, in any way I can, and advocating for solutions to maximise tourism’s role in Jamaica’s prosperity. Let’s make tourism a transformative industry.

JOHN BYLES

Deputy Executive Chairman

Chukka Caribbean Adventures