Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Writer
( L - R ) Bartlett, Peterkin, Guntley, Lynch
WESTERN BUREAU:
With the Ministry of Tourism aiming for a 10-15 per cent growth in 2008, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett last week introduced his eleven-member board of the Jamaica Vacations Limited (JamVac).
The agency, which was first established in 1978 to carry on the business of travel agents, tourist agents and contractors among other roles, had its functions transferred to the Jamaica Tourist Board.
However, Minister Bartlett said with the challenges for the sector to achieve its objective of increased arrivals, the Cabinet gave approval for the entity to be resuscitated in order to respond to the demand for airlift.
The list
The board consists of three former Jamaica Hotels and Tourist Association presidents - Horace Peterkin, Heinz Simonitch, and Lionel Reid and industry giants headed by JTB chairman John Lynch; director of tourism Basil Smith; director general Carrole Guntley, Half Moon's Myrtle Dwyer, Joseph Hilton of Rose Hall Resort and Country Club.
Jamaica Tours' Bert Wright; Point Village's Evelyn Smith and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Mrs. Jennifer Griffiths.
"With this mix of some of the strongest players in the industry this is perhaps the strongest board ever been formed to offer this kind of global support for emerging markets and to strengthen existing markets," commented minister Bartlett.
"I think this is an important statement as to the level of support the ministry has been getting and augers well for the growth."
Bartlett who gave an address at the first meeting of the new board, held at the Rose Hall Resort told the members that they have a pivotal role to play in helping to infiltrate the emerging Asian market and help in expanding existing markets.
Expansion plans under way
"We are looking at the growth markets being Canada and Europe and we want to move into the emerging markets of Asia. JamVac will play a pivotal role in getting into these markets to help us reach our objective for a 10-15 per cent growth in 2008," he explained.
He stated that there has been a 25 per cent increase in Canadian visitors to the island and six per cent increase in the United States market.
He said there has been an increase in the stopovers, and the trend is expected to continue with the opening of Palmyra, Fiesta, Riu and Iberostar, which will add over 2500 rooms.
He revealed that as of today, a US$2 million advertising campaign will begin on CNN, BET, MSN, NBC among other stations, print media and magazines. The campaign will run for eight weeks.
"In the past, Jamaicans have never seen the advertisements that the overseas markets were seeing but this year our local television will get ads being seen internationally," the minister added.
JamVac chairman, John Lynch said the industry would have to be creative in providing more convenient means for visitors to access Jamaica, especially with the challenges of high fuel cost, which he says has severe implications for aviation.
