Purpose -The aims of this paper are to examine how violent crimes and harassment have impacted the tourism and hospitality industry in Jamaica, and to evaluate the approaches that the government has employed in reducing the level of crimes and harassment against tourists on the island. Design/methodology/approach -A qualitative approach was employed as the focus for this study. Surveys of residents, business entrepreneurs, and tourists at two resort areas in Jamaica were sources of data for this paper. Findings -The findings suggest that moving towards sustainability of the tourism industry in Jamaica requires immediate, radical changes in attitudes, values and practices of the business community, the government and the media, as well as cooperation from local residents.Research limitations/implications -The city of Kingston, which is considered to be highly prone to violent crimes, was not considered in this study. The time frame of the study did not allow for this, and so the research focus was more on resort areas. Practical implications -With the problems of crime and harassment being reported in both the local and foreign news, the tourism industry in Jamaica has suffered not only from bad publicity but also from the perception of Jamaica as a dangerous destination. Originality/value -The paper concludes that, while the tourism industry has been impacted negatively as a result of the increase in the number of violent crimes and harassment, less attention has been paid to both the immediate and remote causes of these problems.

Purpose Globally, higher education has been, over the years, a source of innovation, policy, new knowledge and a national asset. However, the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is having an impact on the principles of learning from primary to tertiary levels. The purpose of this paper is to consider how the 4IR has and will continue to impact education at the various levels of learning. Design/methodology/approach The paper aims to bridge the perceived information gap and provide insights into the kinds of educational preparation and the skills and qualifications that 4IR jobs require. In response, the following are considered: the need to tweak the curriculum, adopt the right technology for in class and online delivery and the projection of other learning techniques and skills that are often not considered pertinent. Data gathering for the report was by discussion with experts and consultation of relevant articles and write-ups from related websites. Findings The advent of smart communication systems involving artificial intelligence, internet, robotics, virtual reality and digital textbooks has opened a new vista in relation to how and what is learnt in schools. Just as technologies brought about smart communication systems, the 4IR model of higher education is rapidly evolving and as such, curriculum development and review must be dynamic, and it must keep pace with the technological advances and skills required in the twenty first century. Research limitations/implications More purposeful research needs to be conducted in universities and industries with the intention of accelerating internal and external innovations so that markets can be expanded. Furthermore, efforts to reduce the cost and time of generating innovations will need to be intensified. Practical implications The value and emphasis that are placed on the acquisition of degrees and paper qualifications are changing rapidly. Although it is traditional for students to compete for admission to the face-to-face classroom model, it is no longer unusual for a student to take courses online from any part of the world and still be accepted into positions usually reserved for traditional classroom education. Social implications As at today, examples of 4IR services include Uber, Airbnb, Cloud services, Artificial intelligence, Cyber-security, three-dimensional printers, driverless cars and robotics. Machine learning and drone technology are also of growing significance. As yet, subjects dealing with such inventions and innovations are not part of the curriculum of many institutions and this is a cause for concern. Originality/value The 4IR era will bring great changes to how students are taught and what students must learn as the tools for transformational learning are already overwhelming. Jobs will be scarce for those without the requisite skills, whereas those with the right skills will have to keep up with the pace of technological development, otherwise they too will be left behind. Schools will increasingly become centres for the generation of innovation and its incubation and in all this, quality learning, teaching and knowledge impartation can easily be carried out online.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to examine the post-pandemic prospects for the luxury yacht industry in the coming decade in contrast to those for mega cruise ships.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employed a qualitative approach via an examination of industry analysis and discussion with industry experts in tourism, cruising and luxury yachting.FindingsBased on industry analysis and discussion with key stakeholders, the finding is that the luxury yacht industry responded well to its market from the onset of the pandemic, and will continue on this path in both luxury and sporting yacht categories. To regain customer support after the long period of travel restrictions, cruise lines will have to significantly reduce their prices in order to stimulate demand. This, coupled with approximately 40% reductions in load capacity is a blow to the industry. Hence, this calls for the industry to commit itself to the present safety protocols, which are an added cost to their operations. In contrast, the luxury yacht industry is presented with a golden opportunity as a result of these constraints as it can stimulate revenue through charters and rentals.Practical implicationsThere was never anticipation of a global pandemic that would bring tourism operations to a total halt. The question is, what recovery strategies have been employed by the small island states that have invested millions of US dollars over the last two decades in expanding or developing new cruise ports? Given the historical perspective for Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, Jamaica, the Port Authority of Jamaica can reposition the Marina to take advantage of the new opportunity that has been created for the yacht industry by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Social implicationsIt is likely that more Caribbean nationals will be employed on luxury yachts as compared with the less than 5% of Caribbean nationals employed on cruise ships prior to the pandemic.Originality/valueThe economies of most Caribbean Islands and many other small island developing states (SIDSs) are heavily dependent on tourism; specifically cruise tourism during the cruise season. Some of these countries continue to anticipate a quick recovery for the cruise industry. This anticipation may not yield an immediate result because of the protocols that are needed in response to the pandemic. This paper shows that in the mid to long-term, the returns from significant investment in port development must be realized and the luxury yacht industry presents one such opportunity. This paper is helpful because the present outlook for cruising is not good, and so a new approach and strategy must be put in place to develop new products.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the articles included in this theme issue. Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews the contributions in this theme issue to one key question: is there a symbiotic relationship between tourism development and logistic services in the Caribbean? Findings Even though the papers in this theme issue have focused on examining different interconnections between tourism and other activities, all suggest that tourism development and logistics services are symbiotically related. Each of the contributions has suggested that strategies to improve logistics activities will enhance the development and growth of the tourism industry. Originality/value The conclusion presented draws on the analysis of the theme. The conclusion also presents a review of all the papers submitted to the theme issue.

Purpose – This conceptual paper aims to examine how the concept of host and guest interaction could help remedy the socio-economic impacts as created by tourism in Jamaica. The paper identifies that tourism development in Jamaica has created a range of negative social impacts, which include changes in attitude, aspirations and lifestyles of young people, who may come from poor backgrounds but are increasingly exposed to the consumerist lifestyles of wealthy visitors and the so-called role models in the society, “the Dons”. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was employed as the focus for this study. The survey of residents, and tourists in Ocho Rios and Negril in Jamaica were primary sources of data for this paper. Findings – The tourism industry in Jamaica has seen a great diversification in recent years. The industry now ranges from conventional tourism (sun, sand, sea and sex) to cruise tourism, moderate community based tourism, heritage and cultural tourism, and more recently nature-tourism. However, social factors remain a deterrent. It is apparent that relying on the concept and principles of host and guest interaction presents a strategic option for success and if one is to understand the impact of tourism on the residents, the inter-action between the various elements in the system must be understood. Originality/value – The attitudes of Jamaicans are important in determining the level of host and guest interaction and the level of success in the industry. Attitude is the fulcrum from which quality service is delivered; as such, the people must be in tune with the industry at all levels in order to achieve a sustainable tourism industry.