Tourism In Jamaica Research Articles

Making Tourism Sustainable? Environment and Resort Tourism in Negril, Jamaica, 1970s–2002

Based on newspaper accounts, official documents and reports by international donors, this article sets out the growing awareness about the environmental impact of resort tourism in Jamaica and action proposed and undertaken to put tourism on a more sustainable path, from the 1970s till the adoption of a Masterplan for Sustainable Tourism Development in 2002. Through a case study of the resort town of Negril, it will argue that the Master Plan was the culmination of action and lobbying by industry stakeholders and environmental groups, a global and regional shift towards sustainable tourism and pressure from international donors. It will also make the case that, throughout the period, the Jamaican government struggled to balance the economic and environmental sustainability of tourism because of the centrality of tourism to the national economy and its limited fiscal space.

Discussing Post-Colonization and Tourism in Jamaica

Discussing Post-Colonization and Tourism in Jamaica

Teaching tourism in Jamaica: developing students’ critical consciousness and intercultural competence

Within this article, we convey ideas about stereotypes and ethnic supremacy that many university students tend to hold about Jamaica and the challenges of disabusing travellers of these notions and to achieve educational goals related to equity, diversity and inclusivity. We explore the concept of the tourism imaginary and key ideas in critical pedagogy, critical literacy and critical race theory that guided our course development, and we explain how we used these concepts as a framework for building intercultural competence within our student population. By addressing the complexities of Jamaica’s transnational cultural identity and using tourism to deconstruct the idea of experiencing an ‘authentic’ Jamaica, this two-part immersion course works to shift student consciousness from racial and ethnic superiority to a place of intercultural competence.

Female sex tourism in Jamaica: An assessment of perceptions

Abstract Much has been said about tourist sexual behavior in the Global South. These studies range from those who view men's and women's sexual sojourn as distinctly different activities (sex versus romance tourism respectively) to those who consider sex and romance tourism as independent of sexed and gendered bodies. This work attempts to assess this critical aspect of tourism in Jamaica. Through data collection in two phases and using mixed methodology, the study seeks to assess the perception of local hotel workers and female tourists to the issue of sex and romance tourism. Findings indicate that while male and female hotel workers tend to view men as searching for sex and women for romance, female tourists are largely discrediting the perception that men and women seek disntictly different things while on vacation. The paper argues that there is therefore need to shift the paradigm of sex tourism research to include a wider range of perceptions. The implications for destination marketing are then discussed.

Policy implications of medical tourism development in destination countries: revisiting and revising an existing framework by examining the case of Jamaica.

BackgroundMedical tourism is now targeted by many hospitals and governments worldwide for further growth and investment. Southeast Asia provides what is perhaps the best documented example of medical tourism development and promotion on a regional scale, but interest in the practice is growing in locations where it is not yet established. Numerous governments and private hospitals in the Caribbean have recently identified medical tourism as a priority for economic development. We explore here the projects, activities, and outlooks surrounding medical tourism and their anticipated economic and health sector policy implications in the Caribbean country of Jamaica. Specifically, we apply Pocock and Phua’s previously-published conceptual framework of policy implications raised by medical tourism to explore its relevance in this new context and to identify additional considerations raised by the Jamaican context.MethodsEmploying case study methodology, we conducted six weeks of qualitative fieldwork in Jamaica between October 2012 and July 2013. Semi-structured interviews with health, tourism, and trade sector stakeholders, on-site visits to health and tourism infrastructure, and reflexive journaling were all used to collect a comprehensive dataset of how medical tourism in Jamaica is being developed. Our analytic strategy involved organizing our data within Pocock and Phua’s framework to identify overlapping and divergent issues.ResultsMany of the issues identified in Pocock and Phua’s policy implications framework are echoed in the planning and development of medical tourism in Jamaica. However, a number of additional implications, such as the involvement of international development agencies in facilitating interest in the sector, cyclical mobility of international health human resources, and the significance of health insurance portability in driving the growth of international hospital accreditation, arise from this new context and further enrich the original framework.ConclusionsThe framework developed by Pocock and Phua is a flexible common reference point with which to document issues raised by medical tourism in established and emerging destinations. However, the framework’s design does not lend itself to explaining how the underlying health system factors it identifies work to facilitate medical tourism’s development or how the specific impacts of the practice are likely to unfold.

The Not So “all-inclusive” Tourism In Jamaica: Economic Linkages To Local Supply

The government of Jamaica enacted a strategic master plan in 2010 to encourage the tourism sector’s inclusiveness by enhancing the participation of villas and other small lodging accommodations, increasing the use of locally grown produce, and encouraging commercial activity with formal and informal goods and services providers. An inclusive industry with strong economic linkages should encourage broader distribution of income and welfare. Field work was undertaken to assess stakeholders’ views on their commercial activity with the tourism industry. The sampled participants report stagnant and in some cases declining economic linkages with the industry. The results indicate that initiatives should be further undertaken to ensure a wider economic reach of the nation and region’s largest sector.

Wilderness tourism – alleviating poverty through empowering local people

Purpose – This paper aims to examine how “wilderness tourism” is being successfully used to promote tourism development in the economically depressed community of Bangor Ridge in Jamaica. Through this promotion, its sponsor, Sun Venture Tours, has been able to create employment for local residents and in so doing, contribute to community development and poverty alleviation. The company has also been able to demonstrate that local entrepreneurs have the capacity to address issues in their communities with little or no reliance on government. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a qualitative research methodology using both primary and secondary data. The study focuses specifically on Bangor Ridge in Jamaica with Costa Rica and Belize used as comparators. Findings – This paper concludes that the exclusion of heritage assets from the government's development strategies for tourism in Jamaica has resulted in economic and social stagnation and a decline in economic opportunities for rural communities on the island where unemployment and poverty are rife. It argues that there is a strong case for consultation among all stakeholders as to the value of the country's natural assets and the future of tourism in Jamaica. The paper observes that tourism cannot be sustained unless Jamaica's natural assets are preserved and carefully utilized. Originality/value – This paper explores topical issues and provides a case study that clearly illustrates how government could redirect its interest in terms of support to local communities whose assets form the basis for tourism products on the island.

Managing interactions in the tourism industry – a strategic tool for success

Purpose – This conceptual paper aims to examine how the concept of host and guest interaction could help remedy the socio-economic impacts as created by tourism in Jamaica. The paper identifies that tourism development in Jamaica has created a range of negative social impacts, which include changes in attitude, aspirations and lifestyles of young people, who may come from poor backgrounds but are increasingly exposed to the consumerist lifestyles of wealthy visitors and the so-called role models in the society, “the Dons”. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was employed as the focus for this study. The survey of residents, and tourists in Ocho Rios and Negril in Jamaica were primary sources of data for this paper. Findings – The tourism industry in Jamaica has seen a great diversification in recent years. The industry now ranges from conventional tourism (sun, sand, sea and sex) to cruise tourism, moderate community based tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, and more recently nature-tourism. However, social factors remain a deterrent. It is apparent that relying on the concept and principles of host and guest interaction presents a strategic option for success and if one is to understand the impact of tourism on the residents, the inter-action between the various elements in the system must be understood. Originality/value – The attitudes of Jamaicans are important in determining the level of host and guest interaction and the level of success in the industry. Attitude is the fulcrum from which quality service is delivered; as such, the people must be in tune with the industry at all levels in order to achieve a sustainable tourism industry.

Resort-based or resource-based tourism? A case study of Jamaica

Subject area This case study can be used in the following subject areas: tourism management; tourism policy; tourism planning and development; destination marketing and management; hospitality and tourism management; special event planning and management; and attraction management. Study level/applicability This case study is useful to both undergraduate and graduate students specializing in hospitality and tourism management. Case overview This case study explored the nature of two forms of tourism development; resort-based and resource-based, and aimed to determine which is the more viable and sustainable option for the future of tourism in Jamaica, an island destination in the Caribbean which depends highly on the tourism industry. The literature established that both forms of tourism are challenged by several and varying factors and so their synergistic integration appears to be the most functional option for sustainable tourism development in Jamaica along with the involvement of the relevant stakeholders. Expected learning outcomes The students should be able to: Distinguish between resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism by identifying the elements and attributes that make them different. Explain the usefulness and drawbacks of both types of tourism model. Discuss the nature of culture and heritage tourism and eco-tourism. Analyze Jamaica's tourism model from the nineteenth to the twenty-firstst century by assessing the changes and developments. Discuss the role of government in facilitating the development of a “wholisitic tourism model” that will facilitate the synergy of resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism. Assess the role of the private sector in encouraging and facilitating resource-based tourism. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Social implications This case study conceptually and empirically analyzed the tourism model in Jamaica to ascertain whether or not the future of Jamaica's tourism should remain dependent on resort-based tourism or should it opt for resource-based tourism as a more viable and sustainable option. The discussion however, indicates that resort-based tourism can synergize with resource-based tourism to achieve sustainable development along with the involvement of all the relevant stakeholders including the government, hotel operators and the residents. The case synopsis likewise presented a concise summary of the literature reviewed regarding the concepts of resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism; and the case of Jamaica's tourism. The learning outcomes are intended to guide the teaching- learning process and stimulate students' understanding of the concepts of resort-based tourism and resource-based tourism and their specific implications in terms of tourism development in Jamaica. This knowledge can also be generalized to other destinations with similar historical background and tourism resources. The applied questions will guide the discussions and provide additional resources for assessment purposes. They will also help the students to critically assess the dynamics of tourism development. The case synopsis is consistent with the learning outcomes, corresponding applied questions and course recommendations. A total of two to three-hours teaching session can be used to discuss the constructs, analyze the case in point and answer the applied questions.

Exploring cultural connectedness in the sustainability of rural community tourism development in Jamaica

The focus of research into the sustainability of rural community tourism in Jamaica often gravitates toward the economic, environmental, political and management components. This ethnographic study explores how two distinctive groups - the Charles Town Maroons, descendants of slavery resistance fighters and the Seaford Town Germans, descendants of indentured labourers from Germany - are exploiting their culture by way of rural community tourism to fashion new livelihood streams. The discussion offers unique insights into how the concept of horizontal and vertical cultural connectedness can add to an understanding of how locals are drawing on their past to generate intangible and tangible cultural tourism products. It further highlights the meanings culture holds for rural inhabitants in relation to sense of place, identity and the development of sustainable rural community tourism.

Assessing the vulnerability of beach tourism and non-beach tourism to climate change: a case study from Jamaica

The Jamaican tourism industry is very climate sensitive, and, like most Caribbean islands, Jamaica's main tourism product is coastal, centered on “sun, sea and sand”. The island is susceptible to many risks posed by climate change, including sea level rise and extreme events, with resultant impacts such as beach erosion, flooding, saline intrusion into aquifers and general coastal degradation. This paper evaluates the relative vulnerability of beach versus non-beach tourism in Jamaica, using 43 pre-determined literature-linked indicators. These comprise bio-geophysical, social, technological, economical, technological and institutional factors. Four case areas are assessed using multi-criteria decision analysis to derive vulnerability scores for each area. The study finds that non-beach tourism operations should not be automatically perceived as less vulnerable than beach-based operations. Sustainable adaptation options are complex and numerous, and overall beach tourism businesses have better insurance, emergency savings, disaster plans and backup power facilities, among others. They also have the advantage of being in business longer than the inland resorts, a firmer business structure and an extensive marketing budget. In the long term, better adaptation and planning by inland businesses could change this balance.

Community-Based Destination Governance in a Developing Economy: The Jamaican Experience

Utilizing a destination governance and social capital conceptual framework, the research examines opinions concerning goals and outcomes in regards to the Jamaican Ministry of Tourism's Ten-Year Master Plan to enhance tourism and increase shared governance. In addition to secondary sources of information, researchers use primary data obtained through an email survey sent to 540 Jamaican managers and executives, 18.3% of whom (n = 99) completed the survey. Study findings may be deemed contrary to destination governance theory and best practices. However, upon closer examination, they are wholly consistent with theory and models that examine governance issues in developing nations. Arguably, Jamaica tourism may not be ready to fully embrace a network-based model of destination governance, but instead is in the process of evolving toward that model. The findings should be useful for the Jamaican and other developing nation's tourism industries. Further, it should spark discussion regarding governance differences between developing versus developed destinations.

Risk Perception and Buying Behavior: An Examination of Some Relationships in the Context of Cruise Tourism in Jamaica

Cruise tourism continues to grow substantially, even as many other forms of travel stagnate. In this era of increasing worldwide violence against tourists, safety, security, and risk abatement are becoming principal components in travelers' decision-making processes. This work examines the issue of perceived risk and safety and what impact these perceptions have on shopping behavior. The research takes place in Jamaica, a country with a reputation for aggressive vendors. Findings indicate that those visitors who traveled with others spent more time shopping and purchased more. Additionally, it was found that first time visitors express higher levels of discomfort with their surroundings than did repeat visitors, thus inhibiting purchase behavior. Finally, it was found that levels of perceived risk and security did have an impact on a traveler's intention to return to Jamaica.

Denbigh Showground: a potential “agri-cultural” attraction concept for tourism in Jamaica

Subject area The proposed areas of study for this case are strategic management, marketing, tourism planning and development, hospitality management, attraction management and special event planning and management. Study level/applicability The case is suitable for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing courses in the areas of strategic management, marketing, tourism planning and development, hospitality and tourism management, attraction management and special event planning and management. Case overview The Denbigh Showground located in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica, is the venue of the annual Agricultural and Industrial Show. Three separate studies conducted indicated the need for its development to enable the use of the facility all year round and to contribute to the socio-economic development of the parish. Suggested development options from these studies included a fun and amusement park, a site for eco-tourism and a multi-purpose agri-cultural facility with linkages to the parish's cultural legacies and places of interest. The large land acreage could facilitate its development, making the property a leading “agri-cultural” attraction concept. Expected learning outcomes he students should be able to: identify the typology of the Denbigh Showground as an attraction; categorize the product offerings of the Denbigh Showground from a marketing perspective; explain the factors to consider regarding the development of the showground; analyze the socio-economic contributions of the facility to the parish of Clarendon and the community's attitude towards the development of the showground; discuss the potential uses of the Denbigh Showground that can make it a leading international “agri-cultural” attraction; synthesize the concept of sustainable tourism development and its importance to the development and viability of the attraction for future generations; and assess other tourism concepts such as community-based tourism, special interest tourism and alternative tourism and how they relate to the development of the Denbigh Showground. Social implications This case study will help students understand the concept of an agri-cultural attraction and its impact on the socio-economic development of the surrounding communities and the country as a whole. The case will contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the areas of community development and residents’ perception regarding tourism development. It offers insights to both potential and current investors; provides practical guidance to the government and other tourism planners to enable better planning for the areas’ future growth and development; and serves as a reference for academicians as well as undergraduate and graduate students. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail: support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Jamaica's Tourism: sun, sea and sand to cultural heritage

Traditionally, Jamaica has been seen and promoted as a sun, sea and sand, winter get-away with foreign-owned, multinational corporations (MNCs) having a controlling interest. Coupled with this, the policies adopted by the state to encourage tourism infrastructural development protected the interests of the MNCs and were seen by many Jamaicans as not being in the best interest of their country. As a result, high levels of resentment existed and at times boiled into open conflict between tourists and the Jamaican working class who viewed tourists as ”confused white people.” While efforts were made to promote Jamaica’s tourism internationally, little was done to promote its benefits locally. Now, Jamaica’s tourism industry is at a watershed for even the innovative, largely indigenous and successful ”all-inclusive” concept has failed to market Jamaica other than as a sun, sea and sand destination. If Jamaica is to participate actively in global tourism and continue to make its presence felt in the tourism marketplace of the 21st century, indigenous and ‘authentic’ cultural heritage has to become a part of the tourism product. Also, the tourism industry has to continue to develop avenues through which the Jamaican working class can participate and derive meaningful benefits.

Advertising and Tourist Arrivals: Evidence from Jamaica

The major tourist generating countries for Jamaica's tourism industry were the most heavily hit by the global financial crisis. With home foreclosure and job losses on the rise in these supplier markets, luxury goods such as travel are likely to be significantly reduced. The response of the Jamaican government has been to intensify advertising campaigns. Although this may on the face appear to generate interest, there has been very little empirical evidence to suggest that advertising increases arrivals. To address this gap, the current work assesses the impact of advertising, along with a number of economic variables (for example, exchange rate, inflation), on tourist arrivals in Jamaica. The data for this research were generated from a database which comprises 30 years of secondary time series data on the variables for Jamaica. These were analysed using multiple regression analysis. The results revealed that it is exchange rate, not advertising that is most influential in stimulating tourist arrivals to Jamaica.

Globalization, tourism and local living conditions on Jamaica's north coast

Jamaica's tourism industry has grown rapidly in recent decades, with significant implications for national development. However, the distribution of the benefits from this growth sector has been socially and spatially uneven. Drawing on substantial data sets collected through a variety of participatory research practices, this paper assesses the socioeconomic and environmental challenges facing the residents of Montego Bay and Falmouth on Jamaica's north coast, the main site for tourism development in the country. The research involved training community residents as researchers, and used traditional quantitative methods alongside techniques borrowed from participatory rapid appraisal.The local society and economy are clearly shown to be affected by processes of globalization and mobility. However, existing patterns of national economic development – including the expansion of the tourism industry – have failed to alleviate the social and environmental problems faced by relatively powerless members of the Jamaican society. In contrast, the most effective responses to this situation have involved stakeholder groups negotiating and breaking down entrenched scaled relationships through the mobilization of particular forms of social networks.

Commentary on “Connecting with Culture”

This article analyzes a community tourism enterprise in Jamaica that has sought to provide an alternative experience to the self-contained resorts that dominate tourism in Jamaica. The resorts as they are currently structured have actually become a barrier between tourists to Jamaica and Jamaican society. This has had negative effects on the quality of the tourist experience for visitors to Jamaica and has limited the economic and social benefits of tourism for Jamaica. The community tourism project outlined by Hawkes and Kwortnick is an ideal model in theory. Its intention is to offer tourists a genuine Jamaican tourist experience and to expand the benefits of tourism for Jamaican society. However, the practical application of community tourism requires considerable development and improvement before its can be a commercially viable alternative for tourists and operators alike.

Challenges for Health and Tourism in Jamaica

Challenges for Health and Tourism in Jamaica

The Application of a Jamaican Idiosyncrasy as a Management Tool for Tourism

In 1998, the Jamaican Government commissioned a Ten-Year Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development. The draft Master Plan was released in late 2001. The response from the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association (JHTA) called into question the Association's understanding of the issues facing Jamaica's tourism. Today, theunderlying issues affecting Jamaica's tourism remain the same even taking into consideration the recent events in the source markets. This paper seeks to examine the objectives set out in the Ten-Year Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development by looking at a metaphor that describes the Jamaican character against the backdrop of principles of management, marketing and sustainable development. The object of the exercise is to suggest possible methods of developing Jamaica's human resources as a market differentiation strategy for use in the tourism sector therebycreating a competitive advantage. This strategy, however, calls for new approachesto old problems.