JAPEX ends on high note - Outlook positive for Jamaica

The Jamaica hospitality and tourism industry is energised by high ­interest in the destination, evidenced by ­participation in the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2019.

According to Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA) President Omar Robinson, “This year, we had over 300 overseas tour operators, travel agents, and ­international media delegates and 220 supplier delegates.”

“This is particularly encouraging given the number and scale of tourism markets around the world. But our partners tell us that in the Caribbean, we are the premier ­destination based not just on our natural attributes, but the variety and high standards of our accommodations and ­attractions that are on par with the best internationally.”

JAPEX, at the Montego Bay Conference & Convention Centre on September 9-11, 2019, ­welcomed delegates from ­traditional markets like the USA, Canada, and the UK, ­including England and Germany, but Robinson noted: “Contributing to our optimism about the buoyancy of destination Jamaica is the participation and interest shown by buyers from new markets like India, Luxembourg, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Spain. We are looking forward to Latin American flights, which are ­scheduled to begin in December three times weekly and are bound to be a boon for our local hotels.”

Robinson, in his welcome at the JAPEX opening reception on September 9, 2019, said that “Jamaica has been able to ­maintain its place among the top tier of world destinations over several decades is as much a ­tribute to our overseas ­partners, who believe in us and keep ­sending their customers to us, as it is to Jamaica’s hoteliers and tourism service providers who are continually investing in their businesses for the benefit of local and foreign guests.” He mentioned new hotels, including the R Hotel and the AC Hotel in Kingston, the newly renovated and expanded RIU, Ocho Rios; Rondel Village, Negril; and Half Moon, Montego Bay.