KINGSTON, Jamaica- Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett says the Government will be undertaking a tourism economic impact study as it embarks on increasing Jamaica’s hotel room stock by up to 20,000 over the next five to 10 years.

He said the study, which will be conducted by his ministry in the coming year, will seek to identify the economic, fiscal, social and environmental impact of the development of an additional 20,000 new rooms to Jamaica’s existing stock.

“This advent of 20,000 new rooms over the next five to 10 years will be the largest single investment flow in the tourism [industry] in the history of Jamaica and it will be done under this administration,” he said.

The minister, who was closing the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, said that having had the experience of managing the tourism industry through the pandemic, “the Government will be more strategic about gathering evidence to make decisions about how to optimise the economic, social, environmental and infrastructural benefits of tourism investment.”

He said that specifically, the study identifies and evaluates the potential impact of the proposed developments on Gross Domestic Product, foreign exchange earnings, investment, and Government revenue and expenditure. It will also identify and evaluate the potential impact of the proposed developments on income and employment (both direct and indirect).

Additionally, the study will identify and evaluate the potential impact of the proposed developments on infrastructure needs, the environment and people (particularly housing, transport and recreation); and identify and evaluate the potential impact of the proposed developments on key related sectors such as agriculture, construction, manufacturing and entertainment.

Bartlett said it will also provide recommendations to mitigate potential negative impacts while capitalising on positive impacts.

“That is to say, the carrying capacity for the areas that are going to have these new hotels and these new attractions and to make sure that the imposition of these assets within those areas doesn’t have a negative impact on the environment itself,” he said.

Additionally, he noted that the study will provide a credible, rigorous evidence-based information system to inform the public of the value of the tourism industry to Jamaica.

“This is the most substantial increase in the room stock over the shortest period of time in…Jamaica and it represents a unique transformative moment and we must seize the moment to obtain the maximum social and economic benefit,” he said.