Western Bureau:

TOURISM-ATTRACTION managers are bracing for challenging times ahead and have begun to restructure their operations to face the impact of a possible global financial crisis of the sustainability of the sector and subsectors.

At a Gleaner Editors' Forum last week, Lennie Little-White, executive chairman of Outamanei Experience, revealed that he had had to reduce the rates in order to boost an influx of persons to his Trelawny-based attraction.

"In the summer leading up to the winter season, we cut our prices just to increase flow and that has helped in some ways," Little-White reported. "We also provide complimentary transport for tourists from hotels in an effort to provide value-added service to our visitors," he added.

Operational costs

Apart from financial challenges, Little-White said that attractions face enormous operational costs especially with property insurance that has to be sourced overseas, and the mark-up prices of middlemen (hotels and tour companies) for entrance fees to attractions. He suggested some medium- to long-term solutions that could alleviate challenges for attraction operators and hoteliers:

Entrepreneurs should invest in the tourism transportation system and make it more competitive, as the current rate to transport tourists from one point to another is too expensive.

Government, through the Tourism Ministry, should provide long-term tax breaks - similar to the tax holidays offered to developers of certain types of hotel - to these entrepreneurs so they could operate in a more business-friendly environment.

Local residents

However, Little-White admits that local residents have played an integral role in the survival of the Outamanei Experience attraction since it opened in 2005. He pointed out that 70 per cent of his business comes from the Jamaicans.

"Most of the tourist attractions in Jamaica would have closed had it not been for the support from locals. Business from the locals is far greater than those from the foreigners," the executive chairman of Outamanei Experience disclosed.

Meanwhile, Tricia-Ann Robbins, director of marketing, sales and promotions at Island Entertainment Brands, said the group of companies is not expected the take a huge hit during this period, but is remaining cautious and proactive.

"We are certainly not going to roll over and play dead, although most of our support comes from the local market. We will be aggressive in our marketing efforts in the hotels to come up with entertaining things (for visitors to do while they are in the island," stated Robbins.

Island Entertainment Brands include Margaritaville Caribbean, Marguerites, Blue Beat, The Groovy Grouper Beach Bar and Grill, Jamaican Bobsled and Lickety Split.