WESTERN BUREAU:
Sandals Montego Bay provided the ambiance, food, and entertainment, while J. Wray and Nephew Jamaica Limited brought out an entourage that included Appleton, Campari, and White Rum.
One thing was for sure - guests attending the final night of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Global Conference on jobs and inclusive growth were in for a rum treat.
Presenting an estate bar that was premium, but also inviting, J Wray and Nephew ensured that there was no intimidation libation, creating low platforms, wooden rails, wooden interlocked flooring, in sync with the beach look that Sandals offered as a venue, in celebration of the Appleton brand.
For Campari, the rum maker's execution agency, Production Resource Systems Limited (PRS), brought the essence of fashion to the beach. An all-white bar, accented with red drapes and intelligent lighting, became the hip spot for the evening, right in the middle of the food court.
Three bars and several food stations complemented by the richness of Caribbean gastronomy was how Sandals won over an audience fully satisfied with the variety on the menu.
With drink and food comes love, and that was one of the many things the man behind the hosting of the three-day conference, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, highlighted in his final-night speech.
In fact, if the tourism minister gets his way, Jamaica will become the Davos of the Caribbean, a place where people come to make decisions on the way forward for an industry that has become the engine of growth for many economies.