HC Deb 16 October 1946 vol 427 cc880-1
28. Sir Peter Macdonald

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what sum the Government of Jamaica proposes to spend on tourist publicity; whether existing hotels can provide sufficient accommodation to meet increased demands; and whether local enterprise has shown any evidence of wishing to build additional accommodation.

Mr. Creech Jones

The Jamaica Estimates for the current year provided £5,881 for expenditure by the Tourist Trade Development Board. In the revised development plan now under consideration it is proposed to provide £30,000 a year for the first five years on the understanding that private enterprise will contribute a further amount equivalent to two-thirds of that sum. The Governor has recently indicated to the Legislature that in his view the provision of more hotel accommodation is a first essential. The Hotels Aid Law (Law 55 of 1944) has provided for tax concessions and customs drawbacks to encourage the building of new hotels and the extension of existing ones, but with one or two exceptions local enterprise has not yet taken advantage of the Act.