In response to ongoing public debate and in a few cases legal proceedings surrounding beach access rights, the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA) calls on all stakeholders to unite behind a framework that ensures safe, equitable, and well-managed access to Jamaica’s most treasured natural asset

“The question before Jamaica is not whether Jamaicans and visitors alike should access our beaches — they absolutely should,” said Christopher Jarrett, President of the JHTA. “The question is how we enable access in a manner that protects our people, our visitors, and our coastlines. We must create a positive and safe experience for everyone, while we continue to support and build the local businesses that rely on a successful and safe tourism industry.”

The JHTA firmly rejects any characterisation of managed beach access as exclusionary and firmly supports meaningful public access to Jamaica’s beaches. A well-designed management framework in accordance with applicable laws must be the basis on which access for Jamaican citizens and visitors is framed.  

By contrast, unmanaged beaches have become spaces that are not freely accessible because they are governed by informal power structures, intimidation networks, and environmental degradation that effectively deny patrons the ability to enjoy them in safety and dignity.

Documented incidents of harassment, illegal vending, criminal activity, and unsafe conditions at poorly managed beach areas across Jamaica represent a clear and present danger to members of the public and visitors. Historically, these are not isolated occurrences but instead are the predictable consequence of unregulated space. The JHTA urges that the safety and well-being of every beach user be placed at the centre of this national conversation. In fact, to oppose managed access is to accept that harassment and insecurity are acceptable conditions for enjoying our national coastlines. The JHTA does not accept this.

Inadequate sanitation, accumulated waste, eroded coastlines, the absence of basic amenities, and a lawless atmosphere have rendered many of these spaces unwelcoming, not because Jamaicans do not care for their environment, but because without appropriate governance, no space can be sustainably maintained.

The reputation of Jamaica as a well-respected tourist destination, which was built over the better part of seven decades, represents Jamaica’s most valuable economic engine and will not survive within an environment of public disorder, insecurity, or instability at beach locations. Bad news travels fast through the international media and social networks that influence visitor decisions.

The JHTA and our members operate within the full framework of Jamaican law. The legal property rights of all owners, including homeowners and hospitality investors, acquired through legitimate processes and governed by established statutes, must be properly considered.

The tourism infrastructure represents billions of dollars in long-term investment, tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs, significant community development and, most importantly, linkages to a plethora of service providers, farmers, artisans and so many more.

The JHTA plans to provide the Government with comprehensive recommendations based on our review of the proposed Beach Access Policy.  Once shared, we expect the Government will move to take on board all stakeholder concerns, with a view to arriving at consensus on the legal framework that protects all users of Jamaica’s coastline. We insist that as user rights are clarified, we must also preserve investor confidence and demonstrate to the world that Jamaica is a destination that takes its obligations to its citizens, visitors and investors seriously. The reputational cost of continued inaction is one Jamaica cannot afford to pay.

The JHTA firmly supports meaningful public access to Jamaica’s beaches and believes every Jamaican should be able to enjoy the country’s coastline in a safe, clean, and dignified environment. The issue is not whether access should exist, but how it can be properly managed, maintained, secured, and funded for the benefit of current and future generations.

We remain committed to constructive dialogue and stand ready to partner with the Government and relevant stakeholders in developing a model that serves everyone and strengthens the industry on which so many depend.