FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has expressed a desire to see Jamaica welcome eight million visitors annually, double the amount projected for this year, accompanied by intensified efforts to ensure that locals benefit from the tourism sector.

“[Tourism] Minister [Edmund] Bartlett gives us the assurance that we will have four million visitors this year, which is an amazing feat — we are on course for it — considering where we’re coming from. A decade ago we were at about two million visitors coming. I think, Minister Bartlett, we could do eight million. I think we can. We must be ambitious,” Holness said with a wide smile on Wednesday.

“Our neighbour to the north of us, The Bahamas, you know they get approximately eight million visitors [annually]. But many of those visitors are cruise ship visitors. But nevertheless, Jamaica has the diversity in its tourism product to attract that many visitors. Again, we are near-shore to the United States, we are English-speaking largely, we have a culture that is alluring, we have a name recognised in the global travel industry with people who control where people go. The people who plan tours and transport operation, they know about Jamaica. Brand Jamaica is well-known,” he added.

The prime minister was addressing the official opening of the Hideaway at Royalton Blue Waters, an all-inclusive resort in Trelawny. The transformational US$40-million project was completed by the Blue Diamond chain within a mere six months.

Holness argued that while the opening of hotels has been driving employment during the construction and operational phases, “the next frontier of the Government is to make sure that more Jamaican products get into the hotels”.

“For us to really benefit from tourism, everything that can be supplied to the tourists who visit here, that can be produced here, should be made and supplied from here,” the prime minister said.

He argued that there should be a stronger link between the agriculture and tourism sectors.

“I cannot stress that enough. If we are having three million visitors, that means our poultry-producing industry should be massive because we should be producing poultry which is the preferred standard. With eight million visitors, we should have all of the tomatoes and lettuce and cabbage and potatoes produced right here,” he said.

“I want to place it in the public domain and for the hearing of our business partners, our friends in the private sector, and our friends who are developing these hotels and making the investments here that the next step in strengthening your brands, strengthen your product is to ensure that there is a symbiotic link. Not just through employment, but through the consumption of Jamaican-made goods and services by the people who come here. Because in effect that is the completion of the Jamaican experience,” he added.

There have been efforts, over the years, to have locals benefit from the tourism sector. For example, in June 2013 the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN) was established and the Tourism Agri-Linkages Exchange (ALEX) platform was launched in December 2017.

On Wednesday, Holness acknowledged the progress that has been made but said there is more to be done.

“So, as I am celebrating this hotel I’m already looking at the next phase of our tourism product and what needs to happen for the benefit of the investors in the product, as well as for the benefit of the wider economy. People are employed if we increase the complexity of our economy, meaning that we don’t have silo industries that are connected to supply chains outside; that the industry here is connected to the supply chain in Jamaica,” he said.

Wednesday’s official opening marked a fresh start for what was once Royalton White Sands. Commercial director of Blue Diamond Resorts, Jamaica, Kerry Ann Quallo Casserly highlighted how locals have already benefited from the brand.

“It’s worth noting that the Blue Diamond Hotels in Jamaica employs approximately 95 per cent of Jamaicans across their hotels in Negril and here. At Blue Diamond Resorts, we value and prioritise the raw talent of Jamaican’s diversity, equity, and inclusion and training and development. This results in a well-equipped and balanced workforce which fosters diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging,” she said.

She underscored that Jordi Pelfort, president of Blue Diamonds Resorts, is the visionary behind the hotel chain.

“We believe in Jamaica and its institutions and we are going to be here for a very long time if you want us to be here,” Pelfort said.

“For the last six months we have worked very hard to make this hotel a reality which means so much to us,” he added.