Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

Dear Valued Partners, It's hard to believe that half of 2018 has already passed! I suppose old " father time" waits for no one... Good news to report for the first six months, our stopover arrival numbers from January to June continue to climb...the island recorded an increase of 9% over 2017 from North America. I attribute this extraordinary growth to the overwhelming support of you, our Travel Agent partners. The Jamaica Tourist Board continues to engage you through tried and proven methods: seminars, webinars, trade shows, office visits, and of course Fam Trips... our hard-working BDOs are everywhere! Speaking of Fam Trips, for the first six months we have taken over 300 travel agents to the island to see and experience what's new and we intend to take another 300 before year's end. We place a very high value on FAMs, and as such the selection process to participate in a JTB Fam is extremely rigid. Also, I want to share that the Jamaica Travel Specialist "One Love Rewards" program is growing with over 31,000 enrolled and 25,000 graduates. I urge you, if you have enrolled and not completed the course, to do so, as this will enable you to participate in all our activities. Also very, very important, remember to record those bookings! This of course gives you the opportunity to earn points and go shopping in the "One Love Rewards" store and be eligible for the All White Affair, set to take place December 13-16. So friends, continue to enjoy your summer, continue to book your preferred Caribbean destination, JAMAICA, and I look forward to seeing you either on island or at our Fall seminars. Sincerely, Donnie Dawson Deputy Director of Tourism, US Sales Jamaica Tourist Board

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

Travel Specialists Feel More Love from Online Store

Travel specialists can now benefit from the new and exciting array of merchandise on

offer at the JTB’s online store, One Love Rewards. To ensure that you are rewarded

for your efforts, Jamaica Travel Specialists who have completed the program are

reminded to sign up and redeem points by recording your bookings. Points are

calculated based on the number of clients, length of stay and value of the package.

Be sure to record those bookings and get in the running to be invited to the Annual

'White Affair' and be rewarded for excellence, December 13-16, 2018.

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

Day/Date City/State Format

NORTHEAST USA

Tuesday, August 21 Red Bank, NJ Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Wednesday, August 22 Allentown, PA Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Thursday, August 23 Oxon Hill, MD Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Monday, August 27 Buffalo, NY Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Tuesday, August 28 Rochester, NY Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Wednesday, August 29 Albany, NY Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Tuesday, October 9 Braintree, MA Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Wednesday, October 10 Brooklyn, NY Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Thursday, October 11 Long Island Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Tuesday, October 16 Tarrytown, NY Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Wednesday, October 17 West Orange, NJ Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Thursday, October 18 Cherry Hill, NJ Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Tuesday, October 23 Baltimore, MD Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Wednesday, October 24 Philadelphia, PA Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Monday, November 5 Hartford, CT Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Tuesday, November 6 Providence, RI Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Wednesday, November 7 Burlington, MA Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Thursday, November 8 Manchester, NH Trade Show/Dinner/Presentation

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

MIDWEST USA

Tuesday, August 28 Chicago, IL Dinner Cruise

Wednesday, August 29 Milwaukee, WI Dinner Cruise

Thursday, August 30 Minneapolis, MN Dinner Cruise

Tuesday, September 4 Cedar Lake, IN Dinner Presentation

Wednesday, September 19 Louisville, KY Dinner Presentation

Thursday, September 20 Indianapolis, IN Dinner Presentation

Monday, October 1 Cincinnati, OH Dinner Presentation

Tuesday, October 2 Columbus, OH Dinner Presentation

Wednesday, October 3 Cleveland, OH Dinner Presentation

Thursday, October 4 Pittsburg, PA Dinner Presentation

Wednesday, October 10 Grand Rapids, MI Dinner Presentation

Thursday, October 11 Detroit, MI Dinner Presentation

Tuesday, October 16 St. Louis, MO Dinner Presentation

Wednesday, October 17 Springfield, MO Dinner Presentation

Thursday, October 18 Kansas City, KS Dinner Presentation

WEST/SOUTHWEST USA

Tuesday, October, 23 Seattle, WA Dinner Presentation

Wednesday, October 24 Portland, OR Dinner Presentation

SOUTHEAST USA

Tuesday, November 13 Raleigh, NC Dinner Presentation

Wednesday, November 14 Charlotte, NC Dinner Presentation

Thursday, November 15 Little Rock, AR Dinner Presentation

Kindly contact your respective Business Development Officer or call 1-800-JAMAICA if you have an

interest in participating.

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018 Check out some upcoming exciting events in Jamaica:

Caribbean Wedding Industry Awards (September 7-9) This Caribbean-wide event will launch in Montego Bay and will include interactive workshops, panels and presentations from vendors, world class wedding planners, tour operators, digital and social media experts. Awards will be given to travel agents & wedding planners, in addition to resorts and destinations.

Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX)

(September 23-25)

The JTB and JHTA will once again host the

annual travel trade show at the Montego

Bay Convention Centre. The event serves

as a forum for leading Jamaican suppliers

of the island’s tourism product to meet with

travel wholesalers and tour operators from

The Americas and Europe. JAPEX is

appointment-based and pre-scheduled.

57th Montego Bay Yacht Club

International Marlin Tournament

(October 2-6)

The annual Montego Bay International

Marlin Tournament is Jamaica’s oldest and

most anticipated fishing event and will see

its 57th staging. The revised format of the

event will see new fishing days as well as

new events and activities, including the

Tight Lines Marlin Fleet Raft Up and Beach

Party and the Charity Comedy Night.

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

In this issue, we speak with Irene Sauger of Vacation Guru, Alabama one of our rising stars. We spoke with Irene to find out what she loves about her job and why she enjoys selling Jamaica.

How did you become involved in travel & tourism? After having my second child, I decided to take a break from the work force and be a stay at home mom for a while. When my daughter was about to start kindergarten, I was ready to go back to work but wanted to do something different. I went on a vacation with my two sisters to Jamaica. It was my first visit there and it really changed my life. I thought to myself, I need to do something that will get me back to this island as often as possible. I met a travel agent at the pool and she explained what she did and the rest is history. What do you enjoy most about being a travel specialist? What I enjoy most about being a travel specialist is being a part of memory making in people’s lives. In the day that we live in, vacationing is becoming more and more important to individuals and families. People need time to disconnect from everyday life and reconnect with loved ones and I love being the first leg of their journey. Tell us about how you got to where you are today. I feel that my strategic partnerships that I have formed along the way are the main contributing factor of where I am today. When did you begin selling Jamaica and why? Jamaica was the very reason I became a Travel Agent. However, when I first started in the industry, I only knew about the one resort that I visited. I think it is so very important to know about the destinations that I sell. It was after I went on my first JTB FAM that I began selling Jamaica. I gained so much knowledge on that FAM trip and it was announced that you would be re-launching the Jamaica Travel Specialist program. I was very focused to be a part of that. You’re a rising star among Jamaica’s top bookers. What does it take and what are of some of the challenges you face, if any? I have a deep passion for Jamaica. I want to be a part of supporting this destination for many reasons, but it takes more than that. Setting goals about booking Jamaica and being focused on this specific destination is a very important key to my success. The only challenges that I face is when I talk to people that think that Jamaica is unsafe. I overcome this by traveling there often and sharing my experiences with people. Facebook Live and sharing photos of me being there on social media is a way to do that. There are unsafe places in every city of the world. You need to know where they are to avoid them. I also tell people that having a good Travel Agent can be a great measure of safety. I am there to advise, guide and keep them in safe areas.

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

What’s your most memorable Jamaican experience, to date? What is my most memorable Jamaican experiences? Wow, there are so many, it’s so hard to pick one. I got to

interview Rasta Floyd from Floyd’s Pelican Bar. I heard the urban legend about how the bar came about but wanted

to hear it straight from Floyd. His story was nothing like the one I heard and so I told him what I heard and the laugh

I experienced with him in the middle of the sea is surely one of the most memorable moments I had.

My Fave 5 Jamaican Vacation area: Anywhere off the beaten path. I love St Elizabeth!

Resort area: Negril for the beach and nightlife Chill out spot: Collette’s Bar in Negril, Boardwalk Village for a beach day and Roots Bamboo for live

music at night. Jamaican dish: Escoveitch

Jamaican expression: Kiss mi granny foot

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

The JTB’s Chris Wright has responsibility for Florida and the Gulf Coast market and has helped to ensure that Irene and other travel specialists in the Southwest are taken care of. So, let’s shine the spotlight on this hardworking Jamaican Ambassador.

Tell us about your responsibilities as Business Development Manager I am part of an exceptional team that is essentially the face of Destination Jamaica in the USA travel market. Our mandate is to ensure that as many persons as possible know about Jamaica and are enticed to select the destination for their next vacation experience. Essentially, we are tasked with continually increasingly our share in this very competitive marketplace. I cover the states of Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. My responsibilities include but are not limited to promoting Jamaica at trade and consumer shows, making service calls on our travel agent community to not only update them on our tourism product, but to also garner intelligence so we may continually improve our marketing efforts. How long have you been with the JTB? I have been with the JTB for 36 years, having joined its ranks in 1982. Two years after being dragged, kicking and screaming from its shores, I was given the honor of representing my beautiful island home.

What did you enjoy most about your job? What I love most are the many opportunities I am afforded to showcase Jamaica’s diverse offerings to just about any audience, whether it is trade or consumer, including members of our very own Diaspora, who are often astonished to discover that our “little island” hold its own against just about any other vacation destination. I am particularly thrilled every time I get to escort groups of travel agents on familiarization trips. Seeing the destination through the eyes of an agent who is experiencing Jamaica for the first time is especially heartwarming. I am continually pleased and amazed at the speed at which Jamaica has been expanding its product offerings, both in terms of accommodations and attractions as well as experiences.

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

What’s been the highlight of your career? My career seems to be one continuous highlight. Every time I get to set up and decorate a booth in true Jamaican style, it raises my spirit; every occasion that offers me the opportunity to speak about Jamaica is another highlight. The ultimate highlight has been the growth of arrivals from my region over the years.

Any advice for your agents? Before offering advice, I would first like to thank our travel agent community for the tremendous love and support they have accorded the Jamaica Tourist Board and by extension the island of Jamaica. The strong faith that our agents have placed in our product and the strengthening of relationship is very gratifying and is evidenced in the many times over the years the JTB has received industry awards for Best International Tourist Board. My advice to our agents is to continue to work closely with your BDOs. We strive every day to exceed your expectations in keeping you informed and updated on the destination. Most importantly, qualify your clients – know that Jamaica’s diversity offers something for everyone and you will not have to look very hard to find the right fit to meet your client’s desire for the perfect vacation. If you are in doubt, we are a phone call or email away. Your favorite place to vacation in Jamaica and why? This is like asking one to choose a favorite child. Our tourism product has strengthened and diversified so much over the years that I can truthfully say I no longer go to Jamaica on vacation…I now go on an adventure! Each resort area has its own set of features, attractions and experiences that tug at the heart - the great vibes that is uniquely Kingston, the sheer beauty of our Garden Parish where Ocho Rios is located, the breathtaking, panoramic view from Lovers Leap on the South Coast, the unparalleled sunsets that only Negril can boast, the quiet and natural beauty of Portland and the bustling excitement of our second gateway city of Montego Bay. And throughout it all, from one end of the island to the other, from beach to mountain range, you never fail to encounter the warm, friendly spirit of my fellow Jamaicans. To sum it up, my favorite place to vacation IS Jamaica!

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

Excellence Oyster Bay: The Excellence Group, which is renowned for its award-winning luxurious properties, opened its first property on June 1 in Oyster Bay, Trelawny. Just 30 minutes away from the Sangster International Airport, Excellence Oyster Bay which comprises some 325 rooms is the first of two hotels to be built by the group. Featuring all-suite accommodations, a variety of upscale restaurants and bars, a world-class spa and impeccable service, this adults-only, Victorian-style waterfront resort redefines luxury standards. Skylark Negril Beach Resort: Skylark Negril Beach Resort, sister property to the well-known Rockhouse Hotel which had its soft opening earlier this year will have its grand opening in September. The special preview rates which were being offered through June 8 have been reduced to $95 and extended through to December 15. The property is home to the first Jamaican outpost of Miss Lily’s – a homecoming for the beloved Caribbean oasis born in the heart of New York City. Encircled by two acres of lush property, Skylark Negril Beach Resort is situated along Negril’s famous white sand Seven Mile Beach, offering 220 feet of pristine beachfront and sweeping views of the turquoise Caribbean Sea. S Hotel Montego Bay: Set for a late 2018 opening, and overlooking Jamaica’s famed Doctor’s Cave Beach, the new, stylish and highly anticipated S Hotel Montego Bay, designed by Jamaican-born and award-winning designer Alison Antrobus, will be poised as the ultimate trendsetting hotspot, putting the resort city of Montego Bay back on the map among international travelers. The new and contemporary 120-room S Hotel, created by Chris Issa, owner of Kington’s revered and highly rated Spanish Court Hotel and a noted Jamaican entrepreneur will artfully combine discrete urban sophistication and a laid-back resort lifestyle punctuated with a subtle, rootsy vibe. Located on Montego Bay’s Hip Strip, just five minutes from Sangster International Airport, the S Hotel is walking distance to nightlife, restaurants and shopping.

Feel The Vibe Newsletter | Summer 2018

Jamaica is not just the “Home of All Right” but a destination with warm and friendly people and endearing smiles. This year, we highlight some of those who you may have met and are always happy to welcome you. Meet housekeepers Natallie & Nastacia from Moon Palace Resort in Ocho Rios