Government of Jamaica
The Product Development Department is the arm of TPDCo which works towards making the Tourism Industry a more inclusive one. Our Staff aids the industry in diagnosing prospects for tourism, mapping concepts and routes, and developing the capacity of working groups in the areas of craft, accommodation and business development.
Working with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and government agencies, this department concentrates on seamlessly aligning operations with National Policies, Strategic Goals and Industry Sectors Plans – Vision 2030 and the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development.
Within this context, the department leverages the knowledge and experience of our experts in the Licensing, Product Quality and Training, and Projects Departments to provide a handholding sequence of activities which encourages development across the island while remaining within the guidelines of JTB Act of 1955.
Creating a product of quality and diversity requires the input of all players – academia, communities, and government. For that reason, we encourage individuals, communities, and other entities who believe they may have a good idea or concept to invite our team to diagnose the possibilities, systematically map the tourism prospect as well as systematise the way forward based on a holistic view of the variables. New prospects may capitalise on our expertise in conducting a prefeasibility assessment which usually entails our identification of sustainability variables. These variables wiil help prospects ascertain the gaps that will need to be filled as they advance towards tourism as a business.
Our primary local inter-industry partners are the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA), Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Forestry Department, Social Development Commission (SDC), among others. Utilising the guidance offered by these agencies in areas of environmental preservation, heritage conservation and social intervention, we are able to reduce bureaucratic lags and expedite development.
As a department we know how much more the industry can do by merely tapping into areas of Heritage Tourism, Health and Wellness Tourism and Community Tourism. We know the potential of Jamaican Tourism and we work assiduously to ensure it is fulfilled, backed by our policies and programmes from the Ministry of Tourism. Please contact us at 876-968-3441 so that together we can create attractions and places of interest for locals and visitors to enjoy for generations to come.