Michelle Tulloch – Making waves with the National Tourism Debate

Living in Montego Bay with her son Kimani Brown, who had just started high school, Michelle Tulloch found herself interacting with youths, whose views of the tourism sector was unflattering.

Tulloch said she could not help herself, having worked in the industry for years and being a beneficiary. For her, it was critical to find out what the country’s youth understood about the industry and what they expected to get from it after graduating high school.

“It struck me that their views in general, and expectations, were low,” Tulloch told Hospitality Jamaica. “They considered the options to be few, whether it was for a short-term spin in the working world before moving on to university, or seeking a career path. Most students believed that the only jobs which were available were in food and beverage (waitress or bartending).”

LEADING THE CHARGE

Observing the growth of the industry and the contribution it had made to the economy, she decided that if she led the charge and begin the conversation between students and their peers, in the form of a debate, they would begin to understand the dimension of this industry.

The National Tourism Debate was born out of the need to fill the void that existed, Tulloch explained.

“I realised that if our students became more knowledgeable of how the industry works, it would provide corporate Jamaica with well-prepared recruits, a better ­calibre of persons for employment.”

The National Tourism Debate, now in its 10th year, was officially launched three weeks ago at the S Hotel Convention Centre with the blessing of the Ministry of Tourism, the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, and the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Admitting that her intentions were also strategic, owing to the fact she was also preparing herself to start her own business, Tulloch said this was clearly a niche that wasn’t satisfactorily filled.

“In order to develop a viable debate, this was an unserved niche which would be responsive in terms of participation and sponsorship,” she tells Hospitality Jamaica.

Focusing on community projects and tourism, her company first considered a football knockout competition. But they scratched that, and in 2010 created the Western Tourism Debate, which was the nucleus of what now exists.

“We approached the Minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett, who encouraged us to go national, to engage all schools islandwide.”

And 10 years later, she says the National Tourism Debate is on its way to becoming a national institution. “It has been fully embraced by the students and administrators of the more that 20 schools that are participating this year, and ­continues to grow from year to year.”

It was easy for Tulloch to take this route as well, owing to the unofficial title she has been given by those who know her. “She is regarded by many as a promotional guru. Michelle is head of her own communications company, 1 Luv TV, and executive director of the National Tourism Debate. Her years of experience includes having assisted many commercial entities in Jamaica and The Bahamas to achieve improved performance,” National Tourism Debate judge Clinton Pickering says.

Tulloch has had vast amount of experience managing a number of businesses. After acquiring early work experience in a family business in hotel pest control and sanitation, she moved into newspaper sales and marketing, where she excelled at generating successful promotions in print. She later added television advertising and marketing strategies to her skill set. She broadened her experience in The Bahamas, where she worked on the promotional positioning on two major projects, one in tourism and the other in service production.

She returned to Jamaica, to Montego Bay in particular, years later to draw on her combined experience to establish 1 Luv TV, Montego Bay’s hometown station, which now has a coverage ‘footprint’ that reaches as far as Negril.

“Ms Tulloch’s communication and interpersonal skills assist in translating her creative and promotional ideas into reality for the bottom line benefit of her clients,” said Pickering, lauding her.

Her National Tourism Debate attracts schools across the island, including St James, Westmoreland, Hanover, Manchester, St Ann, Kingston and St Andrew.

Hospitality Jamaica celebrates Michelle Tulloch as a Woman in Tourism.

Email us at hospitalityjamaica@gleanerjm.com