Hotels in Spain Commit to Aid the Construction of 2,000 Homes

The tourism sector in Jamaica continues to boom with Spain committing to aid build 2,000 homes.

Spanish hotel and resort owners with thousands of rooms in Jamaica, highlighted the importance of labour, worker housing and infrastructure for sustainable growth. They met under the Inverotel umbrella (an association representing Spanish Hoteliers and Operators) on Friday, January 20.

After the high-level talks, Spanish Hoteliers agreed to support a major drive for the construction of approximately 2,000 housing units for hotel workers. Grand Palladium and RIU were represented, as well as Secrets, Iberostar and Excellence. Donovan White, Director of Tourism, and Delano Seiveright, Senior Advisor and Strategist at the Ministry of Tourism, anchored alongside Minister Bartlett.

"Through Spanish Hoteliers and other Hotel investors combined we are now seeing firm commitments for at least 2,000 new residential units for Hotel workers and their immediate families. This is essential as given the growth trajectory, with thousands of new hotel rooms under construction, we do have a serious and worsening shortage of appropriate housing for tourism workers. The Hoteliers have recognized this and know too that they cannot operate at an optimal level if workers do not have comfortable living arrangements or are too far away from their properties," Bartlett stated.

Bartlett reiterated that his Ministry and its public agencies have taken a holistic approach to human capital development. He spoke out about the thousands of workers who are already certified by the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation. Many of these workers benefit from housing development projects, primarily in association with the Housing Agency of Jamaica. The now expanding Tourism Workers Pension Scheme is on track for reaching 10,000 members this winter, which will generate over $350,000,000 in savings.

The owners of the Hotel also explored labour, local and global supply chain challenges and agriculture issues.

"As Jamaica develops, we as government must work hand in hand with our local and international private sector partners. So beyond the need for housing, we fully acknowledge too the challenges in sourcing trained labour, traffic congestion along the main corridors especially in and around Lucea, Hopewell, Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Priory and Ocho Rios and continued supply chain logistics challenges that are both local and international in scale impacting construction, supply of food and drinks in hotels and so on," Bartlett said.

Owners of the Hotel and Resort expressed their delight at the news that several road infrastructure projects are in or near completion and will relieve traffic congestion. The Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project is a bypass project that costs US$274.5 Million. It also involves 25 kms of roadway construction and the completion of an agreement worth US$800 million with the International Finance Corporation for the development of a new four-lane highway between Rose Hall in Montego Bay (St James) to Mammee Bay (St Ann). Once completed, the new four-lane highway will bypass congestion-prone areas at Priory Bay, Runaway Bay, and Discovery Bay in St Ann.

Bartlett also pointed out that plans have been made to build bypass roads around Hopewell, Lucea and the parish of Hanover. Seiveright said this is a serious concern given that Hanover will soon have 4,000 hotel rooms.

The hoteliers emphasized the importance of local production to meet the industry's growing demand. Bartlett praised the government's willingness to attract foreign investors to help establish or collaborate on agricultural business ventures in the island. This is in light of the rapid growth in hotel rooms and the subsequent increase in demand. International players are encouraged to invest in Jamaica's agriculture sector and agribusiness sector.

Source: breakingtravelnews.com