Casinos lead Jamaica into future

"This convention centre will be one of the few anywhere in the world that has 3,000 upscale rooms, four world-class golf courses, shopping and eventually a casino just a stone's throw away," he said at the CHTA Marketplace in Jamaica.

Jamaica is finally in a position to take advantage of a tax agreement made with the US in 1981, which allows MICE organisers to claim tax back on events held in Jamaica. "Until now, we didn't have the infrastructure," Bartlett explained.

Jamaica announced last year that it is to dip its toe in the casino market for the first time.
Bartlett confirmed at CHTA Marketplace that the government is looking to issue three licenses over the next couple of years, with one each expected in Montego Bay, Trelawny, and towards the west end of the island. Construction should begin on one of the projects by the end of 2011.

"We expect casinos to contribute us$ 400-500 million a year to our economy, as well as employing a significant number of Jamaicans," he said. "Casinos will bring a different demographic of high spenders."

Attractions such as the Dolphins Cove lagoon will continue to be a major area for Jamaica, with Bartlett claiming the country is home to more attractions than the rest of the Caribbean put together. Luxury retail on the island has gained a recent boost with the recent opening of a Cartier store. "We're taking shopping to another level; Cartier is the beginning of luxury brands coming to Jamaica," said Bartlett.