Dear Editor,

With the global economy looking bleaker in recent years, tourism is a sector that will feel the blow the hardest as visitors try to cut back on their spending for travel, leisure and entertainment. What then will happen to countries like Jamaica that rely so heavily on the foreign currency that the industry earns?

Look at the turnout for the recent staging of ISSA’s boys’ and girls’ championships. Grandstand tickets for the National Stadium were sold out weeks before the event. I’m told that foreigners booked their tickets months in advance, or perhaps from the year before. Maybe it’s time to expand our offerings and image to include much more of sports tourism.

Countries like Cuba and India have an interesting spin on tourism. They’ve combined the health industry with tourism to create a more profitable product to attract tourists.

While Jamaica is a world-renowned brand, especially for its cultural icons and outstanding sportsmen and women, this may not be enough anymore in this competitive global market. If we truly expect to see a significant boost in Jamaica’s economy, perhaps the sector needs to explore new partnerships and avenues to ensure that it steadily develops for true sustainability. Perhaps my challenge, then, is to the media and private sector to make this a reality.

C E

Tertiary student