JAMPRO scores big with Commonwealth Secretariat

The Government's trade and investment agency, JAMPRO, has succeeded in securing technical assistance from the Commonwealth Secretariat to undertake the development of a road map for the growth of health and wellness tourism in Jamaica.

According to JAMPRO, this will ultimately facilitate the country's foray into the multibillion-dollar global medical tourist industry.

Under this project, the Commonwealth Secretariat will provide funding to engage the services of a consultant, who will work closely with JAMPRO to identify the critical prerequisites and success factors for the sustainable development of health and wellness tourism in Jamaica. JAMPRO will be driving the project, in collaboration with the ministries of Tourism and Health, to primarily develop a detailed strategy and action plan aimed at articulating an investment promotion and industry development framework for the establishment of an internationally competitive health-care service cluster.

"As a critical part of our mandate, JAMPRO is charged with not only promoting established sectors for investments, but also identifying and diversifying Jamaica's offerings for both local and foreign investments. We are committed to increasing employment and the health and wellness subsector presents those opportunities," said Sancia Bennett-Templer, president of JAMPRO, in a media release.

She also said that much research has already been done in the area of medical tourism in Jamaica, with information dating back to the 1990s.

Plan of action

Bennett-Templer emphasised that in partnering with the Commonwealth Secretariat, it was important to update some of that existing information with new findings and avoid reinventing the wheel in the process. She indicated that great focus would also be placed on developing a plan of action with key initiatives and important deadlines for key stakeholders to partner with JAMPRO in executing, so that the required accreditation, guidelines for operation and legal requirements are in place early.

She continued that this would make it easy for investors and medical tourists to do business and receive optimal care in Jamaica.

This partnership between the Commonwealth Secretariat and Jamaica represents the latest in a series of projects focused on the socio-economic development in Jamaica.

In 2007, JAMPRO collaborated with the Commonwealth Secretariat in the development of a 'Strategic Plan for the Promotion of Professional Service Exports in Jamaica'.

1.6 million travellers

According to a study conducted by Deloitte & Touche, as many as 1.6 million Americans could be travelling in 2012 for medical tourism, spending billions of dollars in the process.

JAMPRO said many medical tourists are already crossing borders to save up to 90 per cent on the cost of medical care and high-quality health care. In the region, countries such as the Cayman Islands, Barbados, Dominican Republic and The Bahamas are already reaping significant results from this industry.

Bennett-Templer disclosed that in recent times, there has been increased interest from investors in establishing health and wellness tourism facilities in Jamaica. Jamaica's proximity to North American and European markets, excellent hotel and tourism services, relatively lower costs of labour and other inputs, sophisticated infrastructure and well-trained health practitioners and established health and medical service industry have been cited among Jamaica's many appealing advantages.