Jamaica - tourism

• What percentage of Jamaica's GDP is generated by tourism?

  34%
• How does tourism contribute to the Jamaican economy?

  By generating income from taxes and employment
• What has been a significant issue with tourism development in Jamaica?

  Improvements mainly on the north coast
• How many people were employed by tourism in Jamaica in 2016?

  300,000 people
• What percentage of the Jamaican population has improved quality of life due to tourism?

  Almost 10%
• What does the disparity in wealth between Montego Bay and nearby areas suggest about tourism's impact?

  Not all areas benefit equally from tourism
• Why is tourism not a fully reliable strategy for development in Jamaica?

  External factors like Covid can impact it
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in Jamaica?

  Advantages:

  • Generates income and employment
  • Contributes significantly to GDP
  • Improves infrastructure and services

  
  

  Disadvantages:

  • Wealth concentrated in tourist areas
  • Leakage of profits to foreign companies
  • Environmental issues from overdevelopment
• What was the contribution of tourism to Jamaica's GDP in 2018?

  34%
• What percentage of Jamaica's GDP is generated from the tourism industry?

  15%
• How has the money generated from taxing tourism helped the Jamaican government?

  It has allowed the government to invest in improving transport, communication, and utilities
• Why has the development gap not been reduced as significantly in the more isolated central region of Jamaica compared to the north coast?

  Most of the improvements from tourism have occurred on the north coast
• How many people did tourism provide employment for in Jamaica in 2016?

  300,000
• How has tourism improved the quality of life for almost 10% of Jamaica's population?

  It has provided them with better-paid jobs and new skills and opportunities
• How has the success of tourism in reducing the development gap in Jamaica been limited?

  Locations like Montego Bay have become wealthy, but nearby there are people living in poor quality housing with inadequate access to clean water
• Why is it important to consider alternatives to tourism as a strategy for reducing the development gap in Jamaica?

  Because tourism cannot be relied upon as external factors like COVID-19 can influence the industry
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of using tourism as a strategy to reduce the development gap in Jamaica?

  Strengths:

  • Generates income from taxes and employment
  • Provides new skills and better-paid jobs
  • Improves quality of life for some of the population

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Benefits mainly concentrated on the north coast, not reducing the development gap in the central region
  • Large hotels and resorts owned by TNCs can lead to economic leakage
  • Tourism is vulnerable to external factors like COVID-19 that can disrupt the industry
• What percentage of Jamaica's GDP did tourism contribute in 2018?

  34%
• If the Jamaican government wanted to use tourism to further reduce the development gap, what could they do?

  Invest more in developing the central region and improving infrastructure and services there
• What are the key factors that have limited the success of tourism in reducing the development gap in Jamaica?

  • Benefits mainly concentrated on the north coast, leaving the central region behind
  • Large hotels and resorts owned by TNCs leading to economic leakage
  • Tourism vulnerable to external shocks like natural disasters and pandemics
  • Environmental issues from over-tourism in popular areas
• What was the GDP per capita in Jamaica in 2016?

  $4,868.35
• If the Jamaican government wanted to make tourism more sustainable and equitable, what could they do?

  Encourage more locally-owned small businesses and limit the influence of TNCs
• What are the key considerations the Jamaican government should keep in mind when using tourism as a strategy to reduce the development gap?

  • Ensure benefits are more evenly distributed across the country, not just the north coast
  • Limit economic leakage by TNCs and encourage more local ownership and investment
  • Manage environmental impacts and over-tourism in popular areas
  • Diversify the economy and consider other development strategies alongside tourism
• What was the name of the development strategy launched by the Jamaican government in 2009?

  Vision 2030
• What was the main aim of the Vision 2030 strategy launched by the Jamaican government?

  To make Jamaica "the place of choice to live, work, do business and raise families"
• What are some of the key strategies outlined in Jamaica's Vision 2030 development plan?

  • Developing new markets for health and wellness tourism
  • Improving infrastructure and services across the country
  • Diversifying the economy beyond just tourism
  • Promoting sustainable and equitable development
• How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted Jamaica's tourism industry and its ability to reduce the development gap?

  It has disrupted the industry and shown that tourism cannot be solely relied upon as an economic strategy
• What are the key lessons Jamaica can learn from using tourism as a development strategy?

  • Tourism alone is not sufficient to reduce the development gap - a more diversified economy is needed
  • Benefits from tourism must be more evenly distributed across the country, not just concentrated in certain regions
  • Reliance on TNCs and large resorts can lead to economic leakage and unequal development
  • Tourism is vulnerable to external shocks and disruptions, so alternative strategies are important
• What percentage of Jamaica's foreign exchange earnings come from tourism?

  50%
• If the Jamaican government wanted to make tourism more sustainable, what could they do?

  Promote more locally-owned small businesses and eco-tourism rather than large resorts
• What are some of the key environmental issues that have arisen from the growth of tourism in Jamaica?

  • Over-tourism in popular areas like the Blue Mountains, leading to environmental degradation
  • Large hotels and resorts contributing to pollution and waste management challenges
  • Disruption of natural habitats and ecosystems in coastal areas
• What percentage of Jamaica's population was employed in the tourism industry in 2018?

  10%
• If the Jamaican government wanted to use tourism to further reduce the development gap, what could they do?

  Invest more in developing the central region and improving infrastructure and services there
• What are the key trade-offs the Jamaican government must consider when using tourism as a development strategy?

  • Balancing economic benefits with environmental and social impacts
  • Ensuring equitable distribution of benefits across the country, not just in tourist hubs
  • Reducing economic leakage by TNCs and promoting more local ownership and investment
  • Diversifying the economy beyond just tourism to build long-term resilience
• What is the name of the national park in Jamaica that is a popular sustainable tourist attraction?

  Blue Mountain National Park
• Why is it difficult for Jamaica to attract tourists all year round?

  Due to the country's location and extreme weather conditions like hurricanes
• What are the key challenges the Jamaican government faces in using tourism as a strategy to reduce the development gap?

  • Ensuring benefits are distributed more evenly across the country, not just concentrated in tourist hubs
  • Limiting economic leakage by TNCs and promoting more local ownership and investment
  • Managing environmental impacts and over-tourism in popular areas
  • Diversifying the economy beyond just tourism to build long-term resilience
  • Dealing with external shocks like natural disasters and pandemics that can disrupt the industry
• How do large hotels and resorts owned by TNCs create issues for Jamaica's tourism industry?

  They lead to economic leakage, as most of the profits go back to the parent companies rather than staying in Jamaica
• If the Jamaican government wanted to make tourism more sustainable and equitable, what could they do?

  Encourage more locally-owned small businesses and limit the influence of TNCs
• What are the key lessons Jamaica can learn from its experience of using tourism as a development strategy?

  • Tourism alone is not sufficient to reduce the development gap - a more diversified economy is needed
  • Benefits from tourism must be more evenly distributed across the country, not just concentrated in certain regions
  • Reliance on TNCs and large resorts can lead to economic leakage and unequal development
  • Tourism is vulnerable to external shocks and disruptions, so alternative strategies are important
  • Sustainable tourism practices and local ownership are key to maximizing the benefits for the country