TPDCo to spend $50m on ‘jamiconic’ selfie signs
THE TOURISM Product Development Company, TPDCo, plans to spend just over $50 million to set up destination “jamiconic” signs at five destinations frequented by tourists.
The locations are Falmouth, Ocho Rios, Holland Bamboo, Port Royal, and Hope Gardens.
“We expect to finish three of the five locations this fiscal year,” said Wade Mars, executive director of TPDCo.
The others are to be erected in FY2025/26.
The ministry views these signs as “transformational” because it’s expected to drive traffic and spending in the locations.
“It is an advertising windfall and brings more traffic to the area. In this form of social media marketing we have to create things that allow people to take pics and share experiences. It is the way of the world,” said Mars. “People pay for clicks and we are making the investment, and putting the infrastructure down. We are turning the average visitor into an influencer.”
The first sign was erected in the city of Montego Bay, and Negril followed. But Montego Bay’s sign was placed in the centre of the busy roundabout which largely precludes pedestrian photo takers. The Negril sign, however, was approachable to pedestrian traffic.
Mars said the drive to add more “jamiconic signs” came out of the success of the Negril sign.
“It worked well,” he said. “It has provided a postcard experience that visitors can create for themselves.”
Critics argued that these signs are costly but Mars responded that the return on investment is multifaceted.
“People fail to recognise that a lot of work goes into these jamiconic experiences,” he said.
He explained that the Negril sign required a retaining wall, a solid structure for persons to stand on.
Additionally: “We had to create a lay-by for parking, we added lighting and barriers for cars,” he said.
TPDCo is an agency of the tourism ministry. The signage forms part of the policy of Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett to use art to increase interest in locations across Jamaica.
Tourist visitors to Jamaica are trending at record levels with one million visitors generating US$1 billion in spending from January to February 2024.