Tourism players cite global uncertainty and soft bookings amid recovery push

Western Bureau:

As Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett tours hospitality properties along Jamaica’s south coast to assess recovery efforts and reinforce the sector’s readiness to welcome international visitors, industry stakeholders are warning that global uncertainty is dampening bookings and occupancy levels.

Christopher Jarrett, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and CEO and managing director of Jartena Apartments Limited – which owns Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston, Altamont West Hotel and the recently opened Hotel 39 in Montego Bay, said the industry is navigating a challenging period.

“Traditionally for my property, we don’t see a lot of forward bookings as the traditional hotels would see, but anecdotally we are hearing that it’s not very strong,” Jarrett said. “We suspect that some of this has to do with geopolitical issues and the effects of what’s happening in the Middle East and so on.”

Jarrett noted that the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), in collaboration with the JHTA and other partners, has been actively seeking to diversify Jamaica’s tourism markets beyond its traditional base.

“The JTB, along with the JHTA and others, has been looking for some time at the Latin American market as a repositioning of our efforts outside of what would have been our source markets – the United States and Canada. We are seeing some results of that effort now, so it’s quite timely that that is happening at a time that we need it,” he added.

Despite those gains, Jarrett said most properties are reporting weaker occupancy levels.

“Most properties are complaining of lower occupancy, notwithstanding that Montego Bay is showing stronger occupancies than most others because of the general shortage of rooms there,” he explained. “We have the Hyatt group that has seven properties, most of them in Montego Bay.”

He added that while there has been some increase in bookings, the overall sentiment remains subdued.

“Although we are seeing some increase in the bookings, the general feeling is that it’s not as strong as it should be,” Jarrett said.

GLOBAL AND LOCAL PRESSURES

Meanwhile, Jason Henzell, chairman of Jakes Hotel in Treasure Beach, St Elizabeth, echoed similar concerns, citing both global and local pressures.

“There is a lot of uncertainty out there and, of course, there is global uncertainty. It’s like a double whammy, and we really do need the JTB to come in with some marketing muscle behind us,” Henzell said.

He also pointed to the emotional and reputational impact of environmental damage in Black River, which has been undergoing recovery following recent storm impacts.

“We do need to be responsible and speak about places like Black River not being what it used to be,” he said. “I have proposed some signage that says, ‘As you are entering Black River, we are asking for your patience and understanding as we reimagine our beautiful coastal town of Black River,’ to get people ready, because it’s very emotional.”

Despite the challenges, Henzell said his property has rebounded structurally, though maintaining occupancy has required aggressive discounting.

“Our business is structurally back to normal. In terms of the market, we have been discounting and have ramped up our marketing, so we have been experiencing occupancies between 50 and 60 per cent since about December 18, when we reopened – at discounted rates, but that’s what you have to do to get the business,” he explained.

Looking ahead, however, he warned that the near-term outlook remains uncertain.

“May and June do not look good to me. It looks very soft with all this uncertainty and oil prices, so the minister’s visit is timely, as we need to get some traction going into the rest of the year,” Henzell said.

Bartlett’s ongoing south coast tour is part of a broader effort to shore up the resilience and relevance of Jamaica’s tourism product, particularly in communities still recovering from hurricane damage, even as the island works to maintain its competitiveness in an increasingly uncertain global travel market.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com