ROSE HALL, St James – President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Robin Russell has welcomed the revelation that more than 2,000 rooms will be added to the tourism landscape by the end of next year.

“I am very happy and look forward to the rooms that are being added to the Jamaican inventory. These rooms will translate to more jobs, more opportunities in terms of the construction, people being able to be employed, the opportunity for Jamaica to earn more money from revenue from these additional rooms,” stated Russell in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

During the first of a three-day Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) at Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James on Monday, director of tourism at the Jamaica Tourist Board Donovan White listed some of the developments that have recently taken place as well as others expected between now and 2024. Among them was the May 2023 opening of the 260-room Sandals Dunn’s River. He also cited Sandals Negril which is currently undergoing expansion and renovation.

“Sandals is seeing significant growth and expansion of their Jamaican business whilst of course, as you know, Sandals is expanding in many places so we wish them well where that is concerned,” stated White.

In addition, Royalton in Trelawny, which had closed for renovation, is to reopen shortly with 350 rooms while RIU’s 650-room Trelawny property will open its doors in May of next year.

Also on White’s list is Princess Hotel in Green Island, Hanover, which will provide half of the 2,000 rooms currently under construction.

“We are looking forward to that. They are making great progress. I spoke to them last week and I am happy to tell you that they are on track to have their doors ready for operation in February of next year,” stated White.

There is also the planned expansion of Secrets in St Ann which will provide more than 750 rooms. White said the developers are currently finalising approvals to start construction.

Other projects include Beaches Runaway Bay in St Ann, previously known as Jewels Runaway Bay, which is to be redeveloped. And the Unico brand, which consists of three hotels totalling more than 1,800 rooms, is currently under construction in St James. An opening date has not been provided.

White noted that it is impossible for the tourism sector to grow without investment, rooms, and air capacity.

“We have been blessed to have confidence in all three for Jamaica at this point in time and so it is on that basis that we, as an industry, are pushing for our investors to continue their commitments to Jamaica so that we can benefit from 15,000 new rooms over the course of the next five to 10 years,” he told the Jamaica Observer following his presentation.

Of that amount 8,000 rooms are slated for opening over the next five years, which represents an investment of more than US$4 billion.

Russell is of the view that once there is no catastrophic event, the sector will meet the target.

“People are very happy with Jamaica and talking about investing. [Once] the climate stays the same then, definitely, we will reach that target. I am fully convinced that we will reach that target,” the JHTA head told the Observer.