I don’t profess to be a Tourism expert but it doesn’t take an Economics degree to deduce that $100 spent by a tourist with a family in an inner-city community will have a far greater effect than $100 spent at a foreign-owned resort. As an IT professional I am fascinated with how technology changes various industries and the interested was captured by the latest discussion involving Airbnb and how it is through a wrench into the established tourism industry.

Trench Town on Top

Jamaica’s tourism authorities recently signed a memorandum of understanding with online travel marketplace Airbnb. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says the majority of the 1,200 accommodations in Jamaica registered under Airbnb are from Trench Town and other inner-city communities. Apparently many are not happy/supportive of this development and there lies my issue. Continue reading →