THE Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has received tenders from six consultants who are vying for the opportunity to implement and execute a comprehensive development programme for the island’s six resort towns.

Barrington Payne, acting executive director of TPDCo, told JIS News that “a steering committee has been established to evaluate the submissions with a view to selecting just one consultant by December 15, to develop the plans for the respective resorts”.

He said the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) is expected to finance the resort development programme, which would entail “the preparation of plans for the creation of resort towns with aesthetic appeal, unique features, infrastructure and conveniences to accommodate not just our visitors, but locals as well”.

Payne also pointed out that the resort development programme would be executed in phases, with the first phase being the development of plans for the Ocho Rios and Negril resort areas.

“The main objective of this resort development programme is to identify options for new and expanded product development, based on special natural and cultural resources and to determine how resort offerings should be upgraded and diversified,” he said.

Other objectives, he added, include improvement on the level of attractiveness and image of the resort to enhance visitor satisfaction and also to look at the basic facilities and infrastructure improvements required to increase the marketability of these resort areas.

He noted that the comprehensive resort development plan would be implemented by the consultant selected, in collaboration with various stakeholders and entities, such as the Parish Council, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and tourism industry stakeholders.

“In the globally competitive environment, it is so imperative that we continue to focus on resort development in order to improve the competitiveness of our product, with a view to enhancing visitor experience and continue to place Jamaica on the forefront of international tourism travel. This will propel Jamaica from not just being the best tourism destination in the Caribbean, but on the way to becoming the best tourism destination in the world,” Payne remarked.

Jamaica’s six resort towns include, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril, Port Antonio, Kingston and the South Coast.