WESTERN BUREAU – Visiting tourists are turned off by the “unappealing appearance” of Jamaica’s resort towns, according to information that has come to the attention of tourism officials from one of Jamaica Tourist Board’s surveys.

Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has since formulated a beautification project ‘Adopt an Area’, launched in Negril, Friday with appeals from tourism minister Aloun N’dombet-Assamba for corporate Jamaica to support the programme.

“I urge other players in the industry and corporate Jamaica to come aboard in support of this effort,” said Assamba.

“I invite every Jamaican to see their input in the maintenance and improvement of our tourism sector as vital, and to see supporting the venture as a way to protect the future of tourism.”

The Adopt an Area programme targets verges and roundabouts in all principal resort towns.

TPDCo executive director Michael Muirhead, having noted that the JTB survey spurred the latest attempt to beautify resort towns, also said at the launch that companies would be given the option of maintaining a specified area or sponsoring the maintenance of an area.

Representatives of TPDCo, Sandals Resorts International and Riu Resorts signed a memorandum of understanding at the launch.

Sandals and Riu are already on board as corporate sponsors. Under the agreement, both sponsors will maintain curbs and the roundabout in Negril.

Another government agency, National Solid Waste Management Authority, will also support the programme.

Assamba said the project starts in Negril but will eventually move to other areas. At the same time she hopes that the project will spur the spirit of patriotism.

“With successful implementation in other areas it has the potential to reshape Jamaica; to encourage the development of the spirit of patriotism and an overall pride in the preservation of a clean and healthy environment,” said the minister.

“Negril is the starting point,” she said, adding that the resort town was “one of the most important contributors to general earnings from tourism.”

Last winter, the town had 103,000 stop-over visitors and is expected to surpass that figure this season, Assamba said.

– hinesh@jamaicaobserver.com