JTB - $4.07Billion paid to 3 marketing companies with no strategic plan to achieve goals

Auditor General's Findings

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) did not have a structured mechanism to assess the economy and efficiency of its marketing activities. We were not satisfied that JTB had assured itself that value was obtained for J$4.07 billion paid to marketing and public relation service providers to promote the country as a tourist destination over the period 2012-2015. JTB engaged one agency to provide global advertising services and two others to provide public relations and marketing services for the Americas, Europe and the United Kingdom.

JTB did not require all agencies to submit annual plans. This lack of standardization compromised JTB’s ability to examine and influence the marketing strategy of these agencies in a structured manner.

Permanent Secretary (current): Jennifer Griffith

Breach Category: Governance

Permanent Secretary (at breach):

Breach Type: Inadequate Corporate and Operational Planning

Status: Progressing

Last Assessed: April 27, 2018

Year Reported: 2015

Year Resolved:

Recommendation

JTB should set performance measures that are focused on assessing the intended outcomes attributable to the advertising and marketing programmes. This would allow JTB to determine the extent to which its investment in promoting/marketing the country contributed to reported increases in tourist arrival and the amount spent by each tourist in a specified period. In addition, this would enhance JTB’s ability to correlate the expenditure on promotional activities with revenue earned from visitors.

JAMP Update

JAMP was provided with paper trail of emails, containing directives to public relations and advertising services providers, Burson-Marsteller, Finn Partners and Foote, Cone and Belding (FCB) with respect to the development of plans for their respective assignments. However, we only received documentation to satisfy that annual plans were prepared and provided for all except FCB.