Lab Results: 
Montego Bay

Our panel of experts from across the Caribbean convened in Montego Bay to talk travel. With diverse perspectives we looked at opportunities to improve the travel experience as a whole. But the ideas and approaches they surfaced aren’t just applicable regionally. They’re core beliefs any destination can put into play.

Key to their vision for the future is the adoption of tourism by the local community. That’s not just stats on how much money the tourism sector generates overall, but a more granular approach of showing the multiple touch points at which tourism dollars enter the community, and connecting those points directly to locals. It’s also seeking out ways for the tourism sector to partner with local businesses to contain more of that money locally.

Convincing an entire population to buy into tourism’s benefits doesn’t happen accidentally. Sharon Logan of Jamaica’s Half Moon Bay highlighted her country’s effort to educate children about tourism, beginning from an early age. Over a series of years that has helped locals to understand the value, and thus has led to more widespread adoption of the industry. There’s a reason Jamaicans are consistently rated some of the region’s friendliest.

Sharon also pointed out the importance of differentiating their destinations from competitors, especially with regard to local perception. For instance, Jamaicans need to know how their product differs from the Bahamas, even if they aren’t regular visitors there. Both have turquoise waters and beautiful sandy beaches, but the experience in each is very different. Each can appeal to specific types of traveler, and the ability to verbalize that diversity is an important factor in winning those guests over.

This long-term goal was praised by Ronald Castro, who said, “We have to skate to where the puck is going; not to where it is now.” Visualizing trends, and understanding what has to be done now to intersect with that trend in the future is what leads to success.

In the short term, working quickly to implement a plan of action is part of skating to the puck. “We have to action,” says Carmen Portela, founder of Puerto Rico’s Local Guest. Digging in and getting dirty is part of the process. You quickly learn what works, and learn to change what doesn’t. Approaching problems with an entrepreneurial mindset allows for thinking in creative, new ways. Embracing developing technology and introducing new people into the mix immensely helps the process.

Ultimately, we have to remember we all operate as part of communities, and are deeply connected within. Embracing those connections from the DMO to the hotels to the businesses on down to ordinary locals is the best way to tell our stories and help everyone prosper. It won’t happen overnight, but small steps add up in a big way over time.