PNP's Andrea Purkiss condemns 15% GCT for Airbnb and small tourism operators

People's National Party representative Andrea Purkiss used her Sectoral Debate 2026 presentation to argue that Jamaica's smaller accommodation businesses are being overlooked while they carry an important share of the tourism economy.

Purkiss said Airbnb hosts, guest houses, boutique hotels and family-operated properties are largely Jamaican-owned and rooted in communities. She said those businesses serve diaspora travellers, visitors seeking cultural experiences and independent tourists who want a deeper connection with the island.

Citing the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Purkiss said local properties need national occupancy of 70 per cent to remain stable enough to support workers. She argued that the Government has repeatedly missed that benchmark, saying occupancy stood at 64 per cent in 2017 and returned to 64 per cent in 2019. Since Hurricane Melissa, she said, the year-to-date average has dropped to 53 per cent, leaving hotels half-empty and workers exposed to severe cuts in shifts.

Purkiss criticised the administration's handling of small operators, saying they received neither meaningful support nor relief. Instead, she said, a revenue measure was passed in Parliament at about 2:00 a.m. on a Wednesday, near the end of a lengthy sitting. She said the law requires local Airbnb operators to pay 15 per cent general consumption tax from April 1, 2027, and claimed it was done without public consultation.

She also argued that small tourism businesses are being asked to meet demanding tax obligations while parish infrastructure remains weak. Purkiss said the Tourism Enhancement Fund spends millions improving major hotel corridors, while roads leading to community guest houses remain badly damaged, causing some visitors to cancel bookings.

Purkiss said global tourism is moving toward smaller properties, authentic local experiences, community-based travel and Jamaican character, but warned that neglect and punitive taxation could waste that opportunity. She said the PNP supports a tourism model built on economic equity, local ownership and dignity for Jamaicans in the sector.