Golding hyped over record tourist arrivals

PRIME Minister Bruce Golding says the country is expecting to record its highest ever visitor arrivals for the month of July.

Speaking on his monthly radio programme Jamaica House Live last night, Golding said despite the fact that a State of Emergency was in place, “we are still cautiously optimistic that we are going to do well again”.

He was referring to figures last year, which showed that Jamaica did better in terms of tourist arrivals than any other country in the Caribbean.

“We led the Caribbean! We had a three per cent growth last year which was the best performance of any Caricom country,” Golding said.

He added: “Last year July was the best month that we have ever had in tourism in terms of the number of arrivals. Last year July, and this year July, I am told by [Tourism] Minister [Ed] Bartlett, that we are going to exceed last year July. Now at a time like this, if that is not something to say, we know that things are tough, but some things are working and where those things are working we need to encourage them.”