Mobay to become a high end shopping area – Bartlett

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says he is working to make Montego Bay, St. James a centre for high end shoppers from around the world.

The minister, who was speaking after a tour of the currently under-construction Montego Bay Convention centre in St. James Thursday afternoon, said the recent passage of a  bill in Parliament will aid this process.

"We'll be able to import high end shopping items and to operate with an in-bond situation in a bonded warehouse facility so that payments are made after sale. This means that when have market place, large conventions and big meetings, we look forward to high end visitors coming in to purchase items from Jamaica," Bartlett said.

He added that an announcement will be made in the next few days about the opening of a global luxury brand in Montego Bay.

The Tourism Minister further noted that turning Montego Bay into a high end shopping city will help increase the number of high spending tourists coming into Jamaica.

Two million stop over arrivals projected for 2011

And the Tourism Minister is of the view that Jamaica could welcome two million stopover tourists for the first time next year.

Bartlett, who was speaking after a tour of the currently under-construction Montego Bay Convention centre in St. James, said the target of two million stop over arrivals, which has so far eluded the country, is now a possibility in 2011.

The target for two million stop over arrivals in the tourism sector was set for this year, but after the flare up of violence in West Kingston, it was revised downward.