Maroons not capitalising on tourism

Claudia Gardner, Hospitality Jamaica Writer

WELL DEVELOPED and interesting heritage sites worldwide have been known to rake in millions of dollars each year triggering employment and fruitful economies.

But, the Accompong Maroons in the hills of St. Elizabeth are yet to fully capitalise on the world's growing heritage tourism industry, according to their spokesman on Tourism, Rupert Robinson.

Mr. Robinson attributed this problem to inadequate marketing of the product. He said marketing was mainly being conducted by word-of-mouth, which has brought benefit from a fair number of local visitors, but that on average only five overseas visitors come to the property daily, but with help from the Ministry of Tourism, the site could see a larger influx of foreigners.

He said the tourists who sometimes visit for a week or two weeks are usually hosted in community members' homes.

The locals who visit are mainly university students, "Students, especially from the Northern Caribbean University (NCU). Sometimes you find two or three bus-loads of them coming here."

TPDCO ASSISTANCE

Mr. Robinson said in 2000, the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) had provided assistance to the community, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the community to facilitate a partnership for the development of the village as a tourist attraction.

LACK OF VOLUNTEERISM

He said he was satisfied with the work the TPDCo's agents did in the community, but added that a lack of volunteerism by some community members resulted in the project not reaching its full potential.

"I think more could have been achieved, but the community did not give the level of support that was needed. The TPDCo representatives did do their best," he admitted.

He said TPDCo helped to refurbished the community centre and put in bathroom facilities. They provided signs, marked the trail to Kindah and provided maps, in their first phase, trained tour guides and conducted a general hospitality course.

Today, Accompong offers daily tours of the community. A typical tour sees visitors being taken to the Accompong Primary and Junior High School, the 100-year- old Methodist Church, the Maroon Colonel, the Kindah, the area where Colonel Cudjoe and his men met to strategise how to combat the British.

A visit is also made to Old Town, the site of the original Maroon settlement. Lunch of pork, beef or goat and dancing are optional, and are provided at an extra cost. Tours are conducted by the community's eight tour guides and for very large groups, Mr. Robinson and the head of the Maroons serve as guides.

Every Jamaican who feels that she or he owns a part of Air Jamaica will want the team to succeed so our pride can be restored and taxpayers will be anxious as well, given the heavy burden that the airline's operations have imposed on the national treasury even when it was privatised.

With this goodwill, the tremendous loyalty of our people to the Air Jamaica brand, a united management team and a bit of luck, the Lovebird should have a fighting chance.