Virtual Exhibition: Celebrating Jamaica 60th Through The Eyes Of Tourism
The Jamaica Tourist Board is one of the nation’s most recognizable public bodies. With responsibility for marketing destination Jamaica, the Board has an international presence through its offices in USA, UK, Canada, and Europe.
Many Jamaicans are familiar with the JTB campaigns and slogans throughout the years. From the bold, iconic posters of the 1970s to the warm nostalgia of ‘Come Back to Jamaica’.
In many ways, the campaigns are commentaries on the different eras of the nation’s development.
Since 1922, the promotion of Jamaican tourism was the responsibility of the Tourist Trade Development Board, the first promotional team constituted by government. The Tourist Trade Development Board functioned until the implementation of Law 61 of 1954 authorizing the creation of the Jamaica Tourist Board. In April 1955 the Jamaica Tourist Board was inaugurated.
The period 1955-1961 was an era of rapid growth and change in the industry due to rising incomes and cheaper airfares for visitors to Jamaica attributed to the post-war era. This created an opportunity for the island to develop a year-round tourist trade was created, and a target was set by the newly inaugurated Jamaica Tourist Board to double the island’s tourist business within five years. This was achieved as visitor arrivals in 1955 totalled 122,149 and increased to 226,945 at the end of 1960. The estimated tourist expenditure moved from £6,718,190 in 1955 to £13,616,700 for 1960.
As Jamaica celebrates her 60th anniversary, this exhibition showcases how the JTB has marketed the Caribbean’s premier tourist destination since its inception in 1955.
