WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Tourism minister Edmund Bartlett says that the resort town of Negril must be transformed into “an alluring, strong and effective destination” in order to rival “any of this particular nature across the globe”.

Bartlett, during a recent tour of a section of the famous seven-mile beach said that the transformation could be achieved through public/private sector partnership, a release from his ministry stated.

While crediting the unique resort for its integral role in sustaining the tourist industry with an enviable 42 per cent repeat business — the highest level in the entire Caribbean — Bartlett emphasised that Negril now needed to reposition itself.

“Negril, like all tourism resort destinations, has to redefine itself, embrace innovation and understand what drives visitors – their passion – and establish those passion points and build out products around them,” the tourism minister argued.

“One compelling thought was that Negril could become a particular centre for gastronomy, bearing in mind the cuisine of Westmoreland and the way in which we have been able in this parish to use curry with such variety and diverse ways to satisfy the palates of even the most discriminating ,” said Bartlett.

He expressed satisfaction with the level of institutional support that he said existed to enable a number of collective actions and said that he was equally pleased with the enthusiasm and energy felt in Negril for a transformation.