Mark Titus, Hospitality Jamaica Writer

German Ambassador to Jamaica, Volker Schlegel, says the country should not be satisfied with the much-celebrated three million tourist arrivals last year.

Comparing Jamaica to Singapore which attracted over nine million tourists in 2006, he says Jamaica has the potential to top that figure.

Addressing the Negril Chamber of Commerce during its quarterly luncheon last Tuesday, he said that although he congratulates Jamaica for capping its record-breaking three millionth mark last year, he is of the opinion that the island is not maximising its true potential.

"Singapore with less than 10 per cent of Jamaica's population, no wonderful beaches, no waterfalls and no natural beauty, yet they are able to attract record number of visitors," he noted.

Extremely upbeat about the diverse Jamaican tourism product, he used the opportunity to call for improved maintenance and the upkeep of Jamaica's national heritage sites.

"I cannot understand how nothing is being done about Spanish Town and Port Royal, two of the richest historical sites on the island, which only require a few thousand US dollars to create a major tourist attraction."

The attorney-at-law and economist, who has served in countries including Singapore, Iran and the United States, believes that the authorities need to do more to attract the German tourist market. The Germans are known as the biggest spenders in the travel and tourism industry, boasting an annual spend of over €60 billion annually.

marked decrease in market

In the past, Negril was their destination of choice, but in recent years the island has seen a marked decrease in that market.

In fact, the resort town, once popular among the Europeans, has had a large chunk of that business taken out since losing a number of charters and tour operators.

Coupled with their challenges, the small hoteliers in the resort town complain that lack of support from Government in getting their properties up to the standard has forced them out of a market they can't possibly compete in.

"It will take duty-free concession on import items to prevent us from being wiped off the face of the Jamaican tourism landscape," Negril small hotelier Daniel Grizzle told Hospitality Jamaica months ago.

Grizzle who was voicing the concerns of his counterparts said they were no longer asking for loans, as they are never, ever able to qualify.

"Maintenance and upgrading of the small accommodation industry is our major concern," he said then.