Information Provided by Tourists in Survey Before Accessing Wi-Fi Helps Tourism Authorities to Plan
OCHO RIOS, St Ann; July 27, 2026
When visitors go to Dunn’s River Falls and Park, they can access complimentary Wi-Fi after taking part in a short survey. And that connection means everybody wins – the visitor as well as Jamaica’s tourism industry.
Tourism officials say it’s a win all around: visitors get access to the high-quality Wi-Fi and the tourism industry benefits from the information shared.
For the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), every response provides valuable insights into visitor experiences, preferences and spending habits, helping to guide tourism planning, product development and future investment.
Through a partnership involving the TEF, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), free Wi-Fi was introduced at Dunn’s River Falls and Park as a way of benefiting both visitors and the tourism sector, JIS reports.
(WIN FOR ALL: From left, Deputy General Manager at the Urban Development Corporation, Sherlock Glenister; Regional Director, Jamaica (JTB) Odette Soberam Dyer; Deputy General Manager, Corporate Services, UDC Adrian Chin; and Executive Director, TEF Dr. Carey Wallace share a photo opportunity in front of the free Wi-Fi signage at the Dunn’s River Falls and Park in Ocho Rios, St. Ann.)
Director, Research and Risk Management at TEF, Gis’elle Jones Shepherd says the initiative was developed in response to the high cost of collecting reliable tourism data.
“The reality is data collection can be very expensive… and because we do our projects based on data, we are going to need enough to be able to say it is statistically significant to make these decisions and spend,” Mrs. Jones Shepherd explained.
“The question became, how do we… not spend too much money but at the same time be able to extract data from our visitors… and the answer was in Wi-Fi. Let us give them Wi-Fi connectivity,” she added.
Mrs. Jones Shepherd notes that while visitors are asked to complete a short survey before accessing the complimentary Wi-Fi service, the information collected is protected and used solely to support tourism research and planning.
She further emphasised that the initiative benefitted all three organisations involved, as visitors enjoy seamless internet access while exploring one of Jamaica’s premier attractions.
She noted that the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) benefits from authentic, user-generated content, as travellers instantly share photos and videos of their experiences online, while for TEF, each completed survey provided valuable information that supported evidence-based decision-making across the tourism sector.
While the surveys primarily capture feedback from overseas visitors, it is also providing insights into the experiences and preferences of local patrons.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
