Garwin Davis, Staff ReporterTOURISM INTERESTS are worried that Jamaica's crime problem could force the United States, the sector's leading market, into issuing a travel advisory that could be damaging to this country.
The US State Department, last year, issued a travel advisory during the April gas riots, warning its citizens against visiting Jamaica during that period of social unrest.
Many within the tourism sector insist that the industry hasn't fully recovered since the last travel advisory was issued and are fearful that a repeat of the same would send the already struggling sector into further decline.
Head of Public Affairs at the United States Embassy, Dr. J. Michael Korff-Rodrigues, said he doesn't know of a plan for his country to issue a travel advisory but conceded that the State Department had an obligation to inform its citizens about volatile areas.
"There are different levels of warnings," he explained. "There is a consular information sheet which is issued every year and then there is a travel advisory which is only issued in extreme cases like the gas riots last year."
Dr. Korff-Rodriques said he realised that the travel advisory had caused what he described as a "lot of heart burns for many people" but said that unless the crime situation gets further out of control, he doubted whether his country would be issuing a severe travel warning to travellers. "While we understand the need to protect our citizens, it would not be fair to describe Jamaica as a war zone," he added. "There are problems everywhere and I have been to places with crime situations far worse than Jamaica."
But in spite of Dr. Korff-Rodrigues's optimism, there are those who are pointing out that the crime situation last year, though not as bad as its present state, was bad enough for the United States to issue a serious warning on its consular information sheet. This was in addition to the travel advisory and which many feel, was equally as damaging.
"Crime is a serious problem in Jamaica, particularly in Kingston," the statement advised. "In several cases, robberies of Americans have turned violent after the victim resisted handing over valuables."
The fear is even further compounded by concerns being raised by international travel agents who are reportedly having a difficult time selling Jamaica as a destination. At the annual function of over 200 Virtuoso international travel agents at the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas, U.S.A., the sales people were bemoaning the fact that they were unable to convince their clients that Jamaica was indeed a safe destination. According to a source who was at the function, "Even the people who have been to Jamaica and understood the culture had a difficult time convincing their clients. Also, one of the main topics of discussions was the Claudia Kirschhoch case. Our image has been taking a serious battering abroad."
Raquel Parkes, assistant manager at Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios, who was also at the Las Vegas function, confirmed that she too had a difficult time getting her message across as most of the discussions surrounding Jamaica "were negative."
