Building an unforgettable experience; the beauty of Port Royal Part II

BY WAZARI JOHNSON

Port Royal already has a lot to offer in terms of unique experiences.  Whether it be the: historic ruins of Fort Charles, with the world famous partly sunken “Giddy houses, “ the Port Royal Museum, a variety of restaurants offering culinary treats, boat rides to lime, or just strolling along its beaches and allowing your mind to relax. There is always something to enjoy, but there is always room for improvement and Port Royal has tremendous possibilities.

Below is a list of possibilities that could enhance the Port Royal experience:

A Submarine Tour

In 1692, a significant portion of Port Royal was submerged under water. The terrible earthquake of that year caused most of its northern section to be lost, plunging many of its buildings into the sea and some forts were lost.

Fort Charles survived, albeit several of its structures were sunken, evidences of which exist today in the form of the world famous Giddy House. Fort James and Carlisle and Rupert sank into the sea. With much of Port Royal’s real estate and historic ruins being submerged, a submarine tour might prove to be quite lucrative.

In other territories in the Caribbean and the world, submarine tours are doing great.  Since 1989, Atlantic Submarines in Hawaii have established a profitable business ferrying tourists under water in a 48-passenger submersible.

Almost one million people paid up to $75 USD for a 45-minute tour around an artificial reef built by Atlantis about a mile off shore. Submarine tours are gaining popularity.  There would be so much to see in the waters of Port Royal, and I believe locals and tourists would greatly support such a venture.

An Artisan Village

Jamaica’s first artisan village is 75% complete to date, and the Government of Jamaica has great plans for it. This artisan village is part of the Ministry of Tourism’s inclusive growth strategy, which is geared towards assisting local suppliers to increase their earnings from tourism opportunities.

The artisan village is located in Hampden Wharf, Trelawny. The Minister of Tourism the honorable Edmund Bartlett had this to say, “This artisan village is critical in our reimagining exercise where we are providing opportunities for entrepreneurship at the very base of the population. Tourism will be made more meaningful to the average Jamaican when access is provided for income generating activities and also for creative production.”

This kind of approach to a tourism product is much needed for Port Royal. Tourists visiting that historic village would greatly appreciate an artisan village experience.   Here, they can observe pottery being made or even engage in a brief pottery class themselves. They could observe painters in their creative process, sculptors sculpting, or watch baskets being weaved on the spot. Visitors would have the opportunity to purchase these items as souvenirs from their trip.

Themed Restaurants

Orlando, Florida is known for its theme parks.  What is also noteworthy is that it also has a lot of themed restaurants, which are in, and of themselves attractions that tourists gravitate towards. Disney recently highlighted Port Royal in a big way in the Pirates of the Caribbean series of movies. This series spawned new interest about the history of pirates and the era in which they lived.

Port Royal would do well with themed restaurants giving patrons an idea of what life was like back in the 1600’s.

Public Aquarium

A public aquarium is the aquatic equivalent of a zoo. It is used to display and house aquatic life.  Port Royal is surrounded by water and the overall ambiance makes it ideal to become the home to a public aquarium.

A public aquarium is not just a place that allows an avenue for recreation, but it will also contribute to the overall economy of Port Royal.  Aquariums are bringing in profits of more than $22.5 billion to the U.S. economy. In 2018 they supported 198,000 jobs in the U.S.  They also serve more than 200 million visitors worldwide. Something of this nature would greatly boost Jamaica’s tourism earnings.

I really believe that we have treasure here in Jamaica; it is just waiting to be discovered.