Jamaica hotels to impose energy surcharge

"In another three days, Jamaican hotels will impose an energy surcharge of US$10 per room per night,” reports Caribbean360.

Caribbean360 continues, “They say it is necessary to offset escalating costs as a result of rising oil prices.”

“The announcement late last month by Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) has caught industry partners off-guard.”

“The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) said there are “logistical and legal implications” to the move and a full statement is expected to follow once more specifics are known.”

“Elizabeth Fox, director of the Jamaica Tourist Board in the UK, made it clear that the surcharge is not a government tax and government was not involved in the decision.”

“It was a move by the JHTA which is a private sector organisation of private sector hoteliers.”

“Our role is to let the market know what the hotels decide. We can advise the hotels as to what we think they should do, but ultimately it’s their decision,” she said.

WhereToStay.com Note:

Ridiculous! I am not and never have been a hotelier, but I have been promoting Caribbean hotels for over a decade now. Seems to me a little common sense would go a long way here. I am not against hotels trying to cover their expenses in these times when cost seem to be growing astronomically, BUT a $10 fuel charge. Just raise your rates by $10. Just say 200 guests per month, a 1-minute conversation with each guest about the charge, that’s 200 minutes or over 3 hours a month explaining this charge. Plus half of the guests will be disgruntled about being nickel and dime’d. Raise your rates by $10, no questions asked.

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