Jamaica: A case study

Location
Jamaica is one of the Greater Antilles and lays to the north of the Caribbean Sea. It experiences a Tropical Marine Climate and is generally hot year round. It is however affected by hurricanes and cold fronts descending from North America.

Importance of Tourism
The industry is important to the island as it earns over 50 % of the country's total foreign exchange earnings. In fact 1 in 4 people are employed in some way in Jamaicas tourism sector.

Marketing
Tourism in Jamaica is overseen by the Jamaican Tourism Board. Its website http://www.visitjamaica.com/ serves to entice visitors to the island. Also an aggressive ad campaign is in effect which includes commercials airing abroad as well as posters.

Tourist areas
The Main resort areas are located along the North Coast Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Port Antonio. Negril in the west is also popular.

Kingston (the capital) is also popular with tourists.

Ports of Entry
Many visitors arrive via cruise ships. In fact cruise passenger terminals are found in Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Port Antonio and in Kingston. The island has two international airports; Norman Manley International (Kingston the Palisadoes) and Sangster International (Montego Bay)

Airlines
The island is also served by several airlines, thereby connecting it to both North America and Europe, as well as the wider Caribbean. The national carrier is Air Jamaica. Others include Virgin Airlines, British Airways and Caribbean Airlines.

Tourist Arrivals
Home work..get figures for tourist and/or cruise ship arrivals to Jamaica preferably from 2007+.

Impact of Tourism on Environment

The main problem is that of coastal water pollution and coral reef destruction.

The Recession
While other countries have scaled back their advertising amid the deepening global recession, Jamaica has maintained its tourism marketing, according to Wayne Cummings, president of the Jamaican Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).

Private sector partners also played an equally strong role in ramping up advertising.

 One of the strategies adopted by Jamaica to ensure that tourists kept coming was the slashing of rates. It became necessary to stimulate the travelling public, with highly publicized rates slashed by, in some cases, up to 65 per cent, Wayne Cummings.

 A stimulus package provided by the government last December was able to help the Jamaican tourism industry withstand the turbulence of the international crisis.
The response provided the basis for the sector to remain stable and even to provide some level of growth.

Social Problems

Drugs
The drug trade has caused several problems in recent years. Many tourists are arrested when they leave after purchasing illegal drugs such as Cocaine and Heroin and especially Marijuana (Ganja).

Many purchase these drugs thinking that their use is legal, while others deliberately try to smuggle them out of the country (drug mules).

Crime & Violence

Crime and violence is a problem throughout Jamaica but attacks against tourists are becoming more frequent. Theft of personal belongings and jewelry is a chronic problem. Police note that the use of the date rape drug, Rohypnol is increasing.

Sex Tourism
Sex Tourism continues to be a problem on the island. In particular the prostitution of women continues to be a cause for concern. Recent years has seen the emerging trend of male prostitutes referred to as Beach Boys, or they use term Rent a rasta.

There is a clear link between this type of activity and the increase in STDs and HIV/AIDS cases.

HIV/AIDS and Tourism

The cases of HIV infection continue to rise in Jamaica especially in the resort areas.

Increased tourist demand for adventure and romance is evident in the continuing trend of sexual interactions between visitors and host populations. Vacationers in a state of relaxation sometimes participate in risky activity resulting in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Locals as well as commercial sex workers target the industry for economic gain and it is this intermingling that transports diseases back into communities. Of particular concern, therefore, is the HIV/AIDS epidemic potential of this interaction and its negative impact, not only on the tourism industry but also on public health and the national economy.