Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

Bartlett

WESTERN BUREAU: DESPITE THE gloom and doom over the tourist industry, hoteliers and Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett are giving thanks for the 'Thanksgiving Weekend', which brought much more than turkey to the country's shores.

Checks made with a number of large resorts revealed occupancy levels of between 70 and 95 per cent last weekend, a phenomenon that is common for the last weekend in November, when American families leave their homes, opting to vacation in exotic locations.

"Our villas did exceptionally well, and the main hotel fared well, because the families and repeat guests came out in their numbers this Thanksgiving," said Half Moon's director of sales, Myrtle Dwyer.

According to Dwyer, yesterday was a very busy departure day, with guests returning home after an average of a five-day to a one-week stay at the 398-room resort.

In addition, the Spanish hotels along the elegant corridor - RIU Montego Bay, Iberostar Rose Hall and Ritz-Carlton - Sandals properties islandwide and Couples Resorts did well on the weekend.

"Our hotels (Sandals) did well for the period, which is not unusual," confirmed Sandals Resorts Inter-national's Wayne Cummings. "Americans who came last weekend would have paid for their vacations long ago."

However, he is maintaining his projection that the country will experience a 30 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2009.

'fantastic' conditions

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett is optimistic and believes the current condition is "fantastic, at a time when the industry is in a tailspin and the projections were for a softer November".

He says the indications of the fluidity of the market are reflected in the fact that several properties, two to three weeks ago, were very nervous about what this weekend would be like, but several are now reporting that last-minute bookings gave them the buoyancy they are now experiencing.

"This underscores the point that we have been making that there will be more spontaneous bookings this winter and beyond as the effect of the market dictates."

According to the minister, airlines have been dropping prices, destinations have become more competitive and consumers are changing their patterns of purchases. "Jamaica must, therefore, continue to market, market, market, advertise and promote."

The tourism minister said the Jamaica Tourist Board had increased its buy on television and radio, with major presence on CNN and Fox News networks. "We are bringing in over 1,200 radio disc jockeys and other media persons to our shores within the next three months," the tourism minister disclosed.

Pointing out that the German market was holding its own, Bartlett said the Canadian market was showing good buoyancy, explaining that the destination had been beefed up by three additional flights out of Canada by Thomas Cook, namely from Toronto and Vancouver. "They have had to look at changing the size of the aircraft out of Halifax as a result of the demand from that region," the tourism minister reported.

knowledge of key markets

He is convinced that with new tourism director and Jamaica Tourist Board chairman John Lynch at the helm, the country will be able to benefit from Lynch's enormous international connections and personal know-ledge of key markets. "He is the new driver," Bartlett quipped.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com