Business Opportunities – Tourism

You might think that with Jamaica’s number one foreign exchange earner being tourism that there would be limited options for new businesses but you would be wrong. Tourism is changing and unfortunately we have not changed to keep up with the times. It used to be that one thought of a tourist as someone who came and sat on the beach for the duration of their vacation but this is becoming the less popular option. The tourists have become younger and want to come to a place where they can experience some of the culture of the country. Thus the concept of coming to a hotel and eating all of one’s meals there is changing to the idea of experiencing the local cuisine. There is thus a demand for more local cooking and a desire to experience the local restaurants, bars and even roadside cooking. The problem with most locations is tourist harassment, as visitors want a place where they can mingle with the locals in a safe hassle free environment. The all inclusive concept is on the decline with its expensive rooms with all you can eat and drink. Many persons want cheaper lodgings without all of the alcohol and food and seek to buy food from local vendors.

One important addition to tourism if there is an increase in food places is to have more tours to these locations. Tourists are often more likely to go somewhere if they can go in groups even if they are small ones. Yes we have JUTA but we need more organized tours to these locations. As a matter of fact we need more tours period. I have experienced first hand how difficult it is to get tours to many of the attractions in Jamaica and there is room for a lot more. Add to the list the need for more attractions and entertainment options especially as it relates to cruise ship passengers. The wants of cruise ship passengers are different from those of stay over visitors and there are simply not enough items for them. This of course includes craft items, not items made in china with Jamaica engraved on them but good quality locally made items that visitors would want to buy.

The problem is not coming up with ideas but it is the implementation of those ideas. Investors could learn some lessons from places such as Dolphins Cove a relatively new attraction but is already one of the most popular. As in also businesses quality matters, if you simply go for cheap thrills you will not end up with a profitable viable business.