Portland businessman Terrif 'Peter' Hall is calling for more to be done to promote the parish as an entertainment hub for both tourists and locals.
Mr Hall, who runs Roots 21 restaurant and Crystal nightclub, said the move would create or revive nighttime entertainment, especially on weekends, and attract more tourists and tourists, especially if there was quality, clean entertainment. He said it has the potential to attract local residents to the parish.
“To be honest, Portland will never see the kind of tourism it once enjoyed in the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, when it was the envy of the Caribbean. There were ships, and there was a (Jamaica Producers) banana boat docked at Bound Brook Wharf. At that time, the town was buzzing with excitement: Mango Tree, Roof, Tunnel 54, Club 22, Blue Jays, Port Antonio. Nightclubs such as Accompong attracted locals and tourists not only on weekends but also during weekdays.
“But what is commendable is the fact that sustainable employment has been provided for the people of this parish, and many have been able to gain experience and later obtain jobs overseas or on cruise ships. By the way, the demand for entertainment is on the rise, especially post-COVID-19, and entertainment can be a source of sustainable employment for many people in parishes like Portland. “When we conduct Sunup, which is a breakfast meeting, we directly and/or indirectly employ more than 70 people,” he added.
From the 1970s until the late 1990s, Port Antonio was filled with cruise ships every day. Boheme, Star Ward, Nordic Prince, Sun Viking, South Wardand vera cruzthereby providing jobs and income to tourism industry players and other interests.
But when Port Antonio's port could no longer accommodate large cruise ships, the resort city's tourism plummeted.
Against this background, Mr Hall is appealing to the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment to take a closer look at the potential for growth in entertainment and tourism across the diocese. He said gastronomy could become a major attraction in the future, with the presence of eateries such as Boston Jerk, Roots 21, The Hip Strip, Cliff Hunger and restaurants along Winifred Beach in Fairy Hill. It suggests that there is.
Mr Hall maintains that tourism and entertainment is likely to become Jamaica's largest source of foreign exchange, and is also considering the idea of establishing a legal entertainment commission to manage and oversee such developments. .