Jamaica repositions itself in the Japanese travel market - Timing right to increase travel from Japan to Jamaica says Bartlett
Published:Sunday | October 27, 2019 | 12:43 AMJanet Silvera - Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
In its quest to increase arrivals from the Japanese market, Jamaica has repositioned itself, seeking to seal a partnership with the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA).
The group met with a Jamaican delegation led by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and Jamaica Tourist Board Director Donovan White earlier this week in Osaka, at Tourism Expo Japan.
The meeting comes three months after the signing of a historic amendment to the open skies agreement between the US and Japan. The agreement allows for American, Delta, United and Hawaiian Airlines to improve and increase travel and trade between both countries, thereby paving the way for enhanced connections to Caribbean destinations.
“The timing is right to increase travel from Japan to Jamaica, for Jamaica to be repositioned in the Japanese travel market,” Bartlett and JATA both agreed.
In fact, JATA’s chairman Hiromi Tagawa went as far as to state his commitment to promote the destination among his members, pointing out that the results would equate to arrival numbers increasing to Jamaica.
“JATA is pleased that Jamaica is once again active in the Japanese travel market,” Tagawa stated in a media release.
Improvements
In the meantime, Bartlett capitalised on the opportunity to showcase and highlight the marked improvements in the Jamaican tourism product, which he said would appeal to the Japanese market.
“The expansion in Jamaica’s tourism is very attractive to today’s Japanese traveller. For the millennials, we offer adventure and entertainment, while for those travellers looking for an authentic cultural experience, we offer a culinary journey alongside world heritage sites.”
The tourism minister also discussed the timeliness of Jamaica’s participation in Tourism Expo Japan. Chairman of the Japan Outboud Tourism Council, Jungo Kikuma, agreed with him, stating that with the anticipated increase in flights to the US, Japanese travel agents will now, more than ever, think about tourism beyond the US to destinations like Jamaica.
“I am personally supportive of returning to the days when Jamaica was easily accessible to Japanese travellers and will support the efforts towards achieving this end,” he declared.