By the Caribbean Journal staff
As Jamaica plans to expand its tourism footprint beyond traditional poles like Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, it’s looking to cultivate new destinations — and that includes what could be one of Jamaica’s next niche destinations: St Mary.
Home to a robust history from Jamaica’s indigenous Taino people to the legends of the Maroons, St Mary could be a new travel hotspot, according to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.
“As part of our commitment to reimagine destination Jamaica, we are committed to building out new experiences east of Oracabessa towards Port Antonio,” Barthlett said.
The new vision is part of what Bartlett called a “reimagining exercise” for Jamaica’s tourism product — with the added priority of developing tourism with low density and a low carbon footprint.
“[St Mary] has huge geophysical assets in terms of its beaches, waterfalls and rivers that can definitely be converted into tremendous experiences for tourism and the time is now for us to capitalize on this potential,” Bartlett said.
It’s part of a wider push to develop what Bartlett is calling “mini-destinations” across Jamaica.
— CJ