TOURISM minister Portia Simpson Miller on Friday announced a $5-million aid package for 11 small hotels in Negril.

Thirty-two of the 47 properties inspected by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) failed to qualify for the assistance package, including one property that needs major renovation which would fall outside of the grant’s $300,000 limit. Four others are now closed.

The assistance package is to be used to spruce up the properties through interior/exterior design, landscaping and infrastructural work.

The island’s small hoteliers have long complained that they have not been getting a fair share of the tourism market. But while some have blamed this on unfair business practices by the larger players, other industry players have urged the smaller properties to upgrade the product that they were offering.

They have long clamoured for some sort of assistance package to do just that. Those who applied for this round of assistance were required to submit tax compliance certificates, undergo inspection from the TPDCo, and should have applied for public health and fire certificates. The properties also had to be under 100 rooms in order to qualify, and their management had to supply a written commitment towards occupational and operational standards.

According to the tourism minister, accessing the $5 million was a hard fought battle and she hoped to increase the amount in the next financial year.

“Myself and (junior minister) Wykeham (McNeill) have fought hard with government to get this $5 million. It is not much, but it is a start and there are plans to lift the bar higher in the next financial year,” she said.