Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism Senator Janice Allen was speaking on TVJ's Smile Jamaica on Tuesday.
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Senator Janice Allen
Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism Senator Janice Allen has expressed concern about the negative effects for Jamaica arising from the US State Department's Level Three travel advisory for the island.
The latest advisory, issued on October 5, again urged US citizens to reconsider travel to Kingston & St. Andrew, Clarendon, St. Catherine, St. James, Hanover, St. Ann and Westmoreland.
The US State Department also singled out Montego Bay as not safe for travel.
It went further to warn against travel to the areas listed, placing them in the "Do Not Travel", Level Four category.
Senator Allen said while travel advisories are not new to Jamaica, they have become pressing issues which need more than public relations responses.
She urged tourism stakeholders to be "frightened into action", and instead of focusing on increased advertising to "show [foreigners] that all is well, let us get together around the table and start to address the problems".
She also suggested that Jamaica's tourism industry may need to start investing in other areas, particularly the Jamaica Constabulary Force or other areas of security to combat the issue.
Similar to the advisory issued in May, the US State Department noted that violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults - including at all-inclusive resorts - and homicides, are common.
Senator Allen, who was a guest on TVJ's Smile Jamaica, said the statement that sexual assaults are frequent at all-inclusive resorts needs the urgent attention of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).
She admitted the JHTA is likely already working to address this as it has "always been quick to respond to these very serious issues", but she said it has become high priority for them to work with the police, considering the issue appears to be bigger than has ever been reported.
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