ST THOMAS, Jamaica – Investors from the Dominican Republic are eyeing the eastern parish of St Thomas, which is fast emerging as the new destination for development in Jamaica.

Speaking at the inaugural Jamaican/Dominican Republic business forum at the AC Hotel in Kingston on Tuesday, Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, said “we are anticipating, within a short while… a good visit from another set of friends from the Dominican Republic, who will be coming to look at my new destination, St Thomas”.

The minister outlined that the group will be visiting to see “how we can create a facility there that replicates something in the Dominican Republic…I am excited about that”.

Major investments taking place in St Thomas include the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project, which incorporates the main roadway throughout the parish, and the construction of the Morant Bay Urban Centre.

There are also new developments in real estate in the area and a general growth in investment opportunities.

In the meantime, Bartlett informed that the Dominican Republic hotel company, Viva Wyndham, is “shortly to build 1,000 rooms in Rose Hall near Negril”.

In addition, he said that air connectivity is to “go up another notch” following last year’s inauguration of direct flights between Jamaica and the Dominican Republic through Arajet Airlines.

He explained that the Government is looking to facilitate a “new and exciting air [travel] arrangement” in Jamaica with the Dominican Republic at the centre of that arrangement.

The business forum also doubled as the opening of the first Dominican Week in Jamaica and was attended by businesses, investors and other delegates from both countries.

The Dominican Republic is Jamaica’s third largest trading partner in the Caribbean region.