“Jamaica’s greatest tourism asset isn’t our scenery. It is our ability to create genuine human connections and unforgettable memories.”
That’s the view of Philip Rose, Deputy Director of Tourism at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), a veteran tourism executive whose career has spanned nearly three decades.
“There is an energy here that visitors feel the moment they arrive,” Rose says. “We have an incredible ability to make people feel like family, not tourists. That’s why visitors keep coming back. They may come for the sun and sand, but they return because of how Jamaica made them feel. Jamaica becomes more than a destination to them—it becomes a second home.”
Rose has experienced the highs and lows of Jamaica’s tourism industry, from hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic to elections, changing crime perceptions and the evolving expectations of international travelers.
During his career, he has played a significant role in shaping the JTB’s approach to the diaspora, helping to educate influential members of the Jamaican community overseas so they can accurately tell Jamaica’s tourism story. He was also an early advocate for using social media to promote the destination, long before it became a central part of tourism marketing.
Most recently, Rose emerged as one of the key voices providing information and reassurance following Hurricane Melissa.
Yet, despite the high-profile nature of his position, Rose says his greatest satisfaction comes from knowing that tourism can create opportunities for ordinary Jamaicans.
“Tourism works when it changes lives—when it benefits the hotel worker, the farmer, the craft vendor, and yes—even the corn soup man. If I’ve played any role in that, then I’m incredibly proud of my contribution.”
From Wolmer’s to Tourism
Born in Kingston in 1972 to Deryck and Patricia Rose, Philip grew up in a family where his father worked in banking and his mother was a secretary.
After attending Sts. Peter and Paul Preparatory School, he went on to Wolmer’s Boys’ School, where his interests included Geography, Accounting, English and Business.
But Wolmer’s gave him more than an education.
“Attending Wolmer’s played a defining role in shaping the man I became,” he recalls. “Beyond the education, it taught me how to relate to people from every walk of life, value different perspectives and build relationships across different backgrounds.”
Those lessons would later become central to a career built on relationships, communication and connecting people with Jamaica.
After high school, Rose spent a gap year traveling throughout Italy before returning to Jamaica for sixth form. His experience in Italy eventually helped shape his first venture into tourism.
He established and operated a small independent Destination Management Company, providing transportation, tours and other services for visitors to Jamaica, particularly travelers from Italy. He also became involved in location scouting and management for film and video productions.
Ironically, the Jamaica Tourist Board was one of his clients.
“The JTB was actually a client of mine and they kept asking me to come join them full time,” Rose says. “I kept turning them down because I liked my independence and business was great.”
Then business from Italy slowed.
“And so I agreed to join them permanently.”
Rose joined the JTB in 1998 as Marketing Representative for the Midwest, based in Chicago, with responsibility for promoting Jamaica to travel agents.
His original plan?
Three years.
“As you can see,” he says with a smile, “I’m still here.”
Three Years Became Nearly Thirty
Over the years, Rose moved through five different positions in five different cities across the United States and Canada before being appointed Deputy Director of Tourism in 2023.
Today, based in South Florida, he oversees some of Jamaica’s largest and fastest-growing source markets—the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.
His portfolio includes sales, airline and tour operator partnerships, trade relations and growth strategies across those markets.
“My job is to help ensure that more visitors choose Jamaica and, more importantly, that tourism continues to create opportunities for the Jamaican people,” he explains.
The role also requires him to support and deputize for the Director of Tourism when necessary, while providing operational and strategic leadership in his own right.
It means traveling extensively, studying competing destinations, identifying emerging trends and constantly looking for ways to improve Jamaica’s visitor experience.
Philip Rose with The Honorable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism. Photo courtesy of The Jamaica Tourist Board
Jamaica Can Compete With Anyone
Rose has traveled widely, both professionally and personally, and says Italy continues to hold a special place in his heart because of its history, culture and connection to his own journey.
He also admires destinations such as Spain and Singapore, which he believes have excelled in different aspects of the visitor experience.
Jamaica’s competition, he says, depends on the market and the traveler. Mexico, the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean destinations can all compete for the same visitors.
But Rose remains confident in Jamaica’s ability to hold its own.
“As long as Jamaica continues to improve its own tourism product, we can compete with anyone.”
That improvement, however, should not come at the expense of what makes Jamaica unique.
“We Will Never Become a Little Hawaii”
Rose strongly rejects the idea that Jamaica has become too commercialized or has lost the simplicity and authenticity that once defined the island.
“That’s nonsense,” he says.
Yes, Jamaica has more hotels and internationally recognized brands than it did decades ago. But Rose believes development and authenticity can coexist.
“Tourism has to evolve. Travelers today expect world-class accommodations and amenities. The challenge isn’t whether we develop—it’s ensuring that development doesn’t come at the expense of our authenticity.”
For Rose, Jamaica’s advantage is precisely that visitors can experience both.
A traveler can stay at a luxury resort and still leave the island with memories of a jerk pan, a reggae band, a conversation with a local person or a trip into the Jamaican countryside.
“As long as we protect our culture and ensure that tourism benefits our people, we will never become a ‘little Hawaii.’ We will simply be a better, stronger version of Jamaica.”
Making Tourism Work for More Jamaicans
While Rose believes Jamaica’s tourism product is in a remarkably strong position, he also sees opportunities to make the industry more inclusive.
He would like to see more initiatives that connect tourism spending directly to Jamaican farmers, entertainers, craft vendors, transportation providers and other small businesses.
The more Jamaicans who benefit from tourism, he believes, the stronger and more sustainable the industry becomes.
It is an approach that reflects his broader philosophy about the purpose of tourism.
For Rose, success is not simply measured by the number of visitors arriving at Sangster International or Norman Manley International Airport. It is measured by the economic opportunities those visitors help create.
Still Telling Jamaica’s Story
When Philip Rose walked through the doors of the Jamaica Tourist Board in 1998, he expected to stay for three years.
Nearly three decades later, he remains committed to the work.
“I’ve always been challenged and subsequently promoted in every role I’ve had at JTB,” he says. “I would not have stayed if I was stagnant.”
And had he not pursued tourism in Jamaica?
“I’d probably be in tourism in some capacity elsewhere, because I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, building relationships and connecting people to experiences.”
Then comes the part that perhaps best explains why three years became nearly thirty.
“But I genuinely love what I do and who I do it for—the people of Jamaica.”
For Philip Rose, that may ultimately be the real story of Jamaican tourism: the destination is beautiful, but it is the people who make visitors want to come back.
Hear our conversation with Philip Rose. LISTEN HERE
