Jamaica Tourism
Overview
Disadvantages
Management
Advantages
People visit for beaches/water sports at Montego Bay, deep sea fishing at Port Antonio, caves at Cockpit County, golf courses near Kingston Town, national park in the Blue Mountains
tourism growth rate is from 1.1 million arrivals (1995) to 1.9 million arrivals (2010)
Tourism is one of Jamaica's top sources of revenue, second only to agriculture (20% of its GDP)
consistent warm weather (tropical weather that ranges from 22C to 31C) that is ideal for tourism
Tourism provides 1/4 of all jobs in Jamaica
However, tourist numbers are declining slightly due to competition from new resorts across other Caribbean Islands
New infrastructure must be put in place for tourists - airports, hotels, power supplies, roads and telecommunications
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Tourism provides 1/4 of all jobs in Jamaica, this means 220 thousand Jamaicans work in tourism-related jobs
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Money received from tourism can be spent on essential services such as healthcare and education, which can boost the overall level of development
Many of the jobs are seasonal, so people could be unemployed after tourist season
Local employees are given low-paid jobs
Crime rates increase as sex tourism and drug problems increase
Exploitation of local resources such as drinking water and land. #
Local people cannot afford the facilities put in place for the tourists
Community Tourism
Ecotourism
Locals provided Bed And Breakfast accommodation in their homes for tourists
Locals take initiative of the tourism industry, which directly benefits them
Pollution and congestion #
In 2013, the Government has initiated a $500-million infrastructure program to rehabilitate roads across the island.
Land is taken away from local people
House prices rise when foreign companies and investors buy property for hotels and holiday homes. This often makes houses too expensive for locals.
Local farmland is used instead for tourism
Tourists use fewer resources and support locals and local businesses, instead of most of the profit going to international businesses
Increases awareness for nature conservation
Tourists use fewer resources and support locals and local businesses, instead of most of the profit going to international businesses
Ecotourism utilises the inland area of the island as well as parts of the coast, spreading tourists further around the island, thus reducing the impacts of mass tourism
There are new strict guidelines on hotels to control sewage waster as releasing it has killed a third of the coral reefs.
The features of ecotourism aim to lower waste, use solar panels for power, have very low visitor numbers and recycle water
Water sports damage coastal reefs so Jamaica is losing its natural beauty and heritage.
The increased demand for food accompanied by tourism cannot be provided by local produce
The farmland has been bought, which leads to the final resort of importing, this means the local economy does not benefit as much as it could