Iberostar Rose Hall Beach Resort. – File

Tourism Awareness Week, December 6-12, ought to have provided an opportunity for Jamaicans to fully understand the value of the industry which continues to stand the test of time. Jamaica has once again been awarded the title 'Leading Caribbean Destination', despite its many challenges. It is still confusing to many that crime figures and tourist arrival figures increase concurrently when a large body of research suggests that what should exist is an inverse relationship between the two. In fact, an increasing crime rate and tourism could be seen as the proverbial "oil and water".

While I agree with tourism enthusiasts that Jamaica is endowed with more natural beauty than its regional neighbours, I am not convinced that this is currently the key driver of visitor arrivals to the island as this is still a relatively untapped resource. The fascination surrounding Jamaica is certainly a derivative of the fascination surrounding Jamaicans.

Anyone who travels outside of this country will see this manifested in the attention we receive, although not always positive. Elements of who we are as a people will always be intriguing to the onlooker, however, and the opportunity exists to shape our image through a greater focus on the human element of the tourism product.

attractions pull

Awareness about tourism matters should never be confined to domestic parameters and we must be cognisant of other leading destinations in this globalised world if we are to maintain or increase market share. From a supply perspective a large body of tourism literature points to the fact that the major pull factor in destinations are the attractions. In essence, tourists are drawn to Paris for the Eiffel Tower, Rome for historical architecture, Arizona for the Grand Canyon and Egypt for the pyramids. It is the attraction site that provides the major pull and other elements of the tourism product such as accommodation and transportation provide a supporting role. In other words, after tourists decide that they want to visit particular sites, they then look for places to stay in proximity and decide how they will get there.

Jamaica has in excess of 100 attractions, yet they are not marketed as the major pull. In fact, it is very striking that accommodations such as all-inclusive hotels are treated as the primary pull factor with attractions providing a supporting role. To some extent these attraction sites become peripheral and are visited on prescribed tours organised by these hotels. However, most of the time on vacation is spent within the confines of the hotel properties. The all-inclusive concept, following the pattern of the Club Med model, saw its genesis in Jamaica in the 1970s in Negril. It has grown phenomenally with a number of local and international chains emerging over the last three decades and Jamaica is now seen as a vanguard of the concept. It was seen as an ingenious way of pampering guests while protecting them from the country's societal ills.

locals marginalised

This view still persists and the model has emerged as "all ex-clusive" where local communities and attractions have been marginalised to facilitate occupancy and patronage of mega players. South Africa with all its social woes, has managed to develop a tourism product that features its attractions and people significantly.

More recent research has suggested that guests come to Jamaican all-inclusives for value for money and not to be protected from society. If we, therefore, identify our people as being vital to the brand then a model that excludes them suggests that we are not maximising on the potential allure that may be created through greater exposure to locals.

heart of the experience

Let me be abundantly clear in stating that my mission is not to claim that the all-inclusive does not have a role to play in tourism development. There is certainly a place for good quality accommodation that may meet the need of a particular type of psychocentric traveller.

However, focusing solely on this kind of tourist will not lead to maximising on the country's potential, but may rather result in stagnation and stunted growth. Indeed, the general categorisation of allocentric traveller speaks to bigger spenders who are interested in spontaneous, adventurous and authentic cultural experiences. The warm-spirited Jamaican must, therefore, be at the heart of the experience being sold.

I am not at all naive in my deliberations about how to include locals effectively. It is clear that there needs to be a mass educational campaign which enhances overall awareness. Tourism Awareness Week is a commendable start; however, more specialised programmes will gear the country towards a deeper understanding of tourism development and management. Additionally it is not enough to say that we must push ahead to involve locals despite the social problems that are rife in some communities. These must indeed be addressed hastily so that the necessary foundation is laid for the meaningful involvement of Jamaicans. I however take the position that these cannot continue to be excuses for the insular, exclusive approach which has been undertaken.

The tourism industry in Jamaica continues to be a significant source of foreign-exchange earnings second only to remittances, however, we cannot be content to say in American slang "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Optimising performance could see Jamaica competing more ferociously internationally and not just regionally. We should not limit our visitors to standardised buffets and staged authenticity, but expose them to the wealth of offerings in the wider community.

inevitable interaction

Establishing a conceptual link between community-based attractions and the involvement of locals is not a difficult task. It is clear that if we attempt to spread tourists through various communities with unique attraction sites then there would be inevitable interaction with residents who would hopefully be employed at these locations and surrounding related businesses.

The key is that community tourism should be the vehicle for growth. Interaction with locals can no longer be restricted to those who work in hotels and may themselves present diluted versions of culture as designed by the programmes which they deliver. There is no better conduit for the transmission of our authentic culture than the people, more so a unique and colourful nation of people like Jamaicans.

Andrew Spencer is lecturer in tourism management in the Department of Management Studies, UWI, Mona. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.