Cricket Murder Not Making a Dent in Tourism, Jamaican Official Says

Although the strangulation murder on March 18 of the coach of the Pakistani cricket team following the team’s loss to Ireland at the Cricket World Cup in Jamaica cast a pall over the sporting event, the grisly incident has not impacted the island’s tourism industry, according to Basil Smith, director of tourism.

“We are saddened by the death of Coach Bob Woolmer and the events surrounding his death, but we are heartened by the professionalism of our police force, which is handling this entire matter in a commendable manner,” Smith said. “Prior to that incident, Jamaica hosted the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup and demonstrated that the destination could indeed carry off a world-class ceremony in spectacular fashion.”

Mr. Woolmer was found unconscious in his 12th-floor guestroom in the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on March 18, the day after Pakistan lost to Ireland in the teams’ World Cup matchup. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

A subsequent post mortem held several days later revealed that Woolmer had been strangled, according to police reports.

Meanwhile, the cricket tournaments are being played as scheduled on nine other islands in the Caribbean in the showdown to the final matches. Jamaica will host a semi-final match on April 24 before the final match in Barbados on April 28.

Mr. Smith said that room occupancies had peaked, particularly in Ocho Rios and Kingston, two weeks ago when Jamaica held the opening ceremony and hosted several of the beginning matches.