Purkiss accuses Bartlett of promoting ‘diversification myth’

Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism and Linkages, Andrea Purkiss, has directly challenged Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett's claims of expanding Jamaica's tourism beyond the United States. Purkiss asserted that Bartlett is promoting a "diversification myth" through his frequent promises.

“

We cannot put all our eggs in the one basket of North America. If that market sneezes Jamaica catches pneumonia. True economic resilience demands that we open direct paths to the south and across the Atlantic.

Speaking in the House of Representatives, Purkiss detailed that the tourism ministry has spent J$2.86 billion in efforts to attract visitors from markets other than the US, which currently accounts for over 80 percent of Jamaica's tourists. She argued that this expenditure has not led to genuine diversification but rather "guaranteed empty seats on airlines serving markets that barely register." Purkiss characterized these efforts as "expensive theatre."

Purkiss reminded Parliament of Bartlett's five-pillar plan for tourism growth, emphasizing the goal of tapping into new markets and reducing "overdependence" on North America. She recalled Bartlett's statements about Jamaica's "one basket vulnerability" during the COVID-19 pandemic, where he warned, "If that market sneezes Jamaica catches pneumonia." Purkiss quoted him saying, "True economic resilience demands that we open direct paths to the south and across the Atlantic."

“

Our high dependence on source markets like the US and Canada leaves us entirely at the mercy of external border decisions, flights cancellation and foreign health advisories. Diversification is no longer an option; it is a matter of survival.

The opposition spokesperson presented figures to counter Bartlett's narrative. She noted that a ministerial trip to Riyadh and Dubai, aimed at establishing a Middle Eastern corridor, resulted in a mere net increase of 330 arrivals by the end of 2025. Similarly, a visit to Nigeria in 2021, which included a "massive photo opportunity," yielded only 1,440 arrivals from Africa by the end of 2025, a net growth of 320 people. A visit to India, a large and growing country, reportedly increased visitor numbers by just 360.

“

We are moving to break the historically singular reliance by opening the Middle Eastern and African markets. We need visitors whose travel habits are decoupled from the economic cycles of the United States.

Purkiss concluded by referencing a tourism ministry concept called 'Seat Support,' which she described as a disguise for flights to Jamaica. She stated that since 2015, the administration has spent over J$2.86 billion on this initiative, implying that the funds are being spent inefficiently. "In Jamaica there is a saying that talk is cheap and this is costing us," she remarked.

“

That is not diversification. That is expensive theatre.