VIP Attractions: Raising standards at Norman Manley, Sangster int'l airports

Western Bureau:

An ideal airport lounge features the perfect mixture of a social club, a first-class entertainment venue and a bar, and no other lounge offers as wonderful a respite with great hospitality as those operated by Jamaica's very own VIP Attractions.

The company was established in 2011 and is behind the airport lounge and concierge service brands Club MoBay and Club Kingston, located at the Sangster International Airport and the Norman Manley International Airport, respectively.

VIP Attractions is being awarded this year with The Gleaner Honour Award Business (Special Award) for its success in expanding the services offered in the waiting areas at the two international airports to facilities of international standards.

In just four years, both lounges have grown into powerhouses with a dominating influence, not only in Jamaica and the Caribbean, but across the globe, because of the rich Jamaican hospitality and cultural experience of both arriving and departing patrons which numbered in the thousands each year.

Their feedback to the overall look and feel, food choice and quality, introduction to lounge, and service provided by the staff has cemented Jamaica as a world leader in airport lounges. This, of course, gave rise to the company being honoured with several local and internationally recognised awards.

"In 2014 alone, Club MoBay got voted Best Airport Lounge in the Caribbean and America's at the World Travel Awards, while Club Kingston got voted by Priority Pass as the Best Airport Lounge in the World out of more than 700 competition entrants," said Shelly-Ann Fung, commercial director of VIP Attractions.

"The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association awarded a Club Kingston manager the Jamaica Tourism Employee of the Year, while we won the award for Innovative Business of the Year by the Jamaica Young Entrepreneurs' Association," she added.

The award train, however, did not stop there, as in October 2015, Club MoBay was voted the Best Loved Lounge by Virgin Atlantic, the British airline that serves more than 30 destinations worldwide.

VIP won the coveted award from a nomination field of more than 20 lounges across Virgin Atlantic's worldwide network.

"The timing of this award was just fantastic, where it gives the whole Club MoBay team a great morale boost right before the new tourist season in Jamaica, which promises to be the best ever for the country. The dedication and hard work that the team display is getting recognised all around the world and is special when it comes from a world-class company like Virgin Atlantic, we are truly grateful," David Hall, VIP Attractions' executive chairman and director, said at the time of the award.

VIP Attractions features more than 320 customer-friendly staff members who make it their principle to at all times enhance the airport travelling experience for the tourist, local traveller, diaspora and business client, and are always cognisant of the importance of a first and last impression.

"We are guided by the adage that 'investors invest in people and not products', and so by providing a challenging and rewarding work environment, we demand high standards and performance from our team, and deliver an even higher level of hospitality in results to our customers," explained Hall.

HALL'SBACKGROUND

Hall is Irish by birth but Jamaican by naturalisation, having received his Jamaican citizenship in 2010. He is a qualified chartered accountant and also has a master's in economics from University College Cork - National University of Ireland.

The husband and father of three is best known for his days at Digicel, which he joined in 2002 as finance director before being promoted to the role of CEO for Jamaica in 2003. This further promoted his unbridled passion for business, especially in the area of customer service, and thus in April 2011, as chief executive officer, he launched VIP Attractions at both international airports.

In addition, Hall is heavily involved in the area of special needs in Jamaica and personally project-managed the raising of funds and construction of Genesis Academy, a school that caters to students who are diagnosed with intellectual challenges such as autism and Down's syndrome.

Carlos Moleon Rodriguez, who moved from Spain to Jamaica in 2000, is the other man behind the formation of the company. The director had founded Lost World Construction in 2009 and won contracts to build the Secrets Hotel and the Gran Bahia Principe extension.

Together with Hall, VIP Attractions was created, offering a wide number of arrival and departure services.

ARRIVALS SERVICE

n Personally greeted upon deplaning.

n Assisted with completing required travel forms.

n Escorted through the airport.

n Preferential fast-track access through Immigration and Customs.

n Assistance with baggage retrieval.

n Full access to arrivals lounge (Club MoBay) and its amenities.

n Guests are assisted with the coordination of their ground transportation.

n Escorted to vehicle.

DEPARTURE SERVICE

n 14,400 sq ft in Club MoBay (6,200 sq ft Club Kingston).

n Preferential fast-track access through security and immigration.

n Option of personal escort to departure gates.

n Full access to arrivals lounge (Club MoBay) and its amenities.

n Extensive cultural exhibit celebrating Jamaica.

n Changing and shower facility.

n Wide range of mini spa treatments (subject to a surcharge).

n Unlimited complimentary wireless Internet access.

n State-of-the-art Digicel Business Centre.

n Complimentary phone calls to the USA/Canada and UK landline.

Club MoBay only

n Family lounge with soundproof children's play area.

n Access to Vibe Smoking Lounge.

Club Kingston only

n Digicel Conference Room.