Understand more about the process…

 

Based on the Act, no person shall operate a tourist accommodation enterprise unless a licence has been granted. Tourism accommodation enterprises operating in Jamaica are therefore required to be licenced as either a “Hotel” or as a “Non-Hotel” (Resort Cottages/Guest Houses/Apartments/Villas) accommodation.

 

A "tourist accommodation" is defined as a hotel, resort cottage or any other premises or any vehicles, boats, ships or places where accommodation is offered to tourists for reward. 

• A "hotel" means an establishment falling within any of the categories of buildings prescribed within the meaning of section 2 of the Tourist Board Act, the operation of which is, or upon completion is intended to be licensed by the Tourist Board under the Tourist Board Act.
• A "resort cottage" means subject to section 16 (1) (b) any building containing not less than two furnished bedrooms, a furnished living room, bathroom facilities and facilities for the preparation and consumption of meals, and used for the accommodation of transient guests, including tourists, for reward.

 

The Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo) has the mandate of developing and improving Jamaica’s tourism product.  One of the major roles of the TPDCo is to maintain quality in the industry and ensure destination integrity and assurance. This is done through the establishment, inspection and monitoring of standards of all entities operating in the industry.

 

Applications for a licence shall be made to the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) through the TPDCo, and if a licence is granted, it will be subject to the following:

• may be granted for an indefinite period or subject to any power of the Board to revoke or suspend such licence; and
• may be granted either unconditionally or subject to such restrictions and on such conditions as may be specified in the license.

 

Once the requisite documents are in place then the relevant TPDCo regional office will make arrangements for a Product Quality Assessment of the facility to be conducted.

 

For more information on how to apply for your JTB Hotel/Accommodations License, see the next steps of this business process guideline.

Complete the relevant form(s) and provide any supporting information/documents…

Visit Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) Limited in Kingston, or any of the regional offices located in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Negril and Mandeville to collect your application form for licensing your Hotel and other non-hotel accommodation enterprises. Forms are also available on the TPDCo’s website for download, printing and completion.

Application Requirements:
You are required to complete and submit the application form along with the other required documentation to the TPDCo.  In order to ensure your submissions are processed expeditiously, please verify that all the information is completed fully, and the required supporting documents/information are submitted along with your applications.

Accommodation Entities:
The process of licencing a tourism accommodation entity operating in Jamaica as a “Hotel” or as a “Non-Hotel” (Resort Cottages/Guest Houses/Apartments/Villas) accommodation requires the submission of an application form including various legal, regulatory and technical details of the proposed hotel.  The following must be submitted:

Hotel Accommodation Licence Application Form to be completed in duplicate: (2 copies)

• Application Form - See form Application for Hotel Licence.

Other Supporting Information to be included in the application for submission.

• Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) - TRN for your company is required.  Get your TRN?  Find out more.
• Tax Compliance Certificates (TCC) - TCC for your company should be submitted.  Get your TCC?  Find out more.
• List of Company Directors
• Certified Copy of Proof of Ownership: Land Title - certified copy of the Land Title
• Property Tax Certificate - from Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ).
• Project Brief - to capture and define the core project objectives, scope, deliverables, budget and schedule.
• Surveyors ID - to be completed by a Commissioned Land Surveyor. 
• Copy of Public Liability Insurance Certificate.
• Copy of Certificate of Incorporation - The company name on all documents should match exactly the name on the certificate.  How to register a business.
• Registration of Business Name - copy of registration (where applicable i.e. if Business Name is different from the name of the Company).
• Letter of “Good Standing” – Companies Office of Jamaica.
• Letter of “Non-Objection” - for Planning/Building Approvals from the relevant local planning authority (Municipal Corporations).  Find out how to get your Construction Permissions.
• Copy of Fire Certificate - requires an inspection by the Jamaica Fire Brigade.
• Copy of Public Health Certificate
• Copy of Valid Food Handler’s Permits - required by all persons working in a food handling establishment, regardless of their position - Regional Health Authority.
• Evidence of Proper Security arrangements - Security Contract (certified personnel).
• Security Approval - from the Police Tourism Liaison Section of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).
• Copy of CPR, First Aid certificates and Lifeguard licences for employees assigned as Lifeguards
• Copy of relevant Environmental Approvals - from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). Find out how to get your Environmental Approvals. 
• Copy of Beach Licence (where applicable) from NEPA
• Copies of Work Permits (where applicable).  Obtain your Work Permits.
• Copy of Public Health Swimming Pool Permit

Non-Hotel Accommodation Licence Application Form to be completed:

• Application Form - See form Application for Non-Hotel Licence.

Other Supporting Information to be included in the application for submission.

• Same as for “Hotels” above - see list of supporting documents provided above.

All forms need to be completed fully and signed and stamped where required. 

This process may also be done concurrently with your application to access your tourism incentives under the Productive Inputs Relief (PIR) incentives regime.

For more information, contact the Product Quality Unit of TPDCo at wra@colis.com or 1 (876) 968-3441; 968-1909; or Visit TPDCo.

Submit your completed application…

 

Submission Requirements:

Once your application form and any relevant supporting information/documents have been completed, signed, stamped and certified where required; you will need to visit TPDCo to submit your application for Hotel/Accommodations Licence.  All requests should be addressed to the Manager of the Product Quality Unit at the TPDCo.

 

The address and contact information for the TPDCo is indicated below:
Tourism Product Development Company Limited
Head Office - Kingston:
The Tourism Centre, 4th Floor
64-70 Knutsford Boulevard
Kingston 5
Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: 1 (876) 968-3441; 968-1909; 968-3626
Fax: 1 (876) 929-8269; 754-9135; 920-4854
Email: TBD

 

Regional Offices
Montego Bay:
Jamaica Room - Block G,
Montego Bay Convention Centre
Montego Bay, St. James
Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: 1 (876) 979-7987/9
Fax: 1 (876) 971-8812
Email: Sandra.bellinfantie@tpdco.org

 

Ocho Rios:
Office # 3
Ocean Village Shopping Centre
Ocho Rios, St. Ann
Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: 1 (876) 974-7705
Fax: 1 (876) 974-2586
Email: anna.reader@tpdco.org

 

Negril:
NEPT Building
Norman Manley Boulevard
Negril, Westmoreland
Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: 1 (876) 957-3962
Fax: 1 (876) 957-3052
Email: keysha.evans@tpdco.org

 

Mandeville:
The Ashlar, Suite #5
71 Manchester Road
Mandeville, Manchester
Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: 1 (876) 962-6316; 961-6182
Fax: 1 (876) 961-6182
Email: amanda.parke@tpdco.org

Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Pay the relevant processing fees…

There is no fee associated with your application for your Accommodations Licence.  Further, if granted, your Licence will be granted for an indefinite period with no expiry date.

Hotel Licence Processing Time:
It takes approximately one (1) month to process your Licence as the Board of the Directors of the Jamaica Tourist Board meet once a month to review and approve Licences.  Your submission must be made in advance of the meeting (usually by the first Friday of the month) in order to be considered.

• Hotel Licence - approximately one (1) month.

Additional steps required for approval…

 

Once your application(s) has been submitted there are some additional steps that the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo) will need to undertake as a part of their own due diligence processes.  This may include the following:

 

For Hotel/Accommodations Licence Applications:

• Review and assessment by TPDCo: carried out on the application and supporting documents.
• Site Visit: to be undertaken by TPDCo. Assessments are two (2) fold and look at both the regulatory and standards elements of the development.
• Applications are processed: and recommendation presented to the JTB Board at its monthly meeting for a decision.
• Licence approved by JTB: Applicant is notified of grant of approval.

 

If no objections are received the applicant is advised of the grant of the licence; a licence document is prepared, and your formal Hotel/Accommodations Licence will then be issued.  The licence granted is subject to the terms and conditions that the Board specifies in the licence and shall be for such period as may be specified in the licence.

Collect your approved document(s)…

Once the review and assessment process has been completed and if your documents, any applicable tests and site investigations are in order; the JTB/TPDCo will notify you that your application for your Licence has been granted and that you may visit the TPDCo to collect your document. 

At the end of the process you would have received the following:

• Your JTB Hotel/Accommodations Licence