Hospitality The Gleaner Jamaicahospitalityjamaica.com/epaper/20181128.pdf · 28/11/2018 · Janet...

HospitalityJamaicaThe Gleaner

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE BUSINESS OF TOURISM

FAMILY RESORTS IN DEMANDFOR CHRISTMAS,

Upgraded Lyssons Beachofficially opened

but Jamaicans are late bookers!

Passenger numbers could doubleto 8.2 billion in 2037

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Janet SilveraHospitality Jamaica Coordinator

JAMAICANS ARE known to gointo panic mode just beforeChristmas after being hit with

the fact they are left with very fewchoices of accommodation for theholidays.

“Usually, persons tend to booktheir Christmas stays about twoweeks before and then startpanicking when they realise theydon’t have much to choose from,”travel expert Dave Chin Tung ofGo Jamaica Travel tellsHospitality Jamaica.

He says he is already seeingincreased interest for resorts suchMoon Palace, Hyatt Ziva, RoyaltonWhite Sands, Holiday Inn, andHedonism II.

“Even with the five-nightminimum stay at Moon Palace, thenumbers are up for locals who arespending Christmas in a resort,”said Chin Tung.

His comments were bolstered bydirector of sales at RIU ResortsJamaica, Niurka Linton, who

revealed that her resorts weredoing very well for Christmas.

“Traditionally, there is greaterdemand for the family hotels forthis particular holiday than ouradults-only (AO), which isunderstandable. However, we dosee an increase in sales for theAO closer to arrival date,”stated Linton.

According to her, RIU is pacingahead of last year in all sevenresorts on the island and has beenfully booked for both Christmasand New Year in Ocho Rios sinceOctober.

With Ocho Rios being theobvious choice for vacationers,Linton said the demand was beingdiverted to their second favourite“the hotels in Montego Bay”.

This is not unusual for the brand,and in the past few years, she said,they have noticed consistentincremental business from the localmarket during this period.

“It’s a family affair, and thebeautiful thing is that grandma andmama get the chance to be catered

to and rest while the entire familyhas fun.”

In Trelawny at the Meliá BracoVillage, another favourite forfamilies, bookings for the holidayseason, director of sales andmarketing, Angella Bennett, says, ispacing very well, with occupany

percentages in the high 80s.That figure, she said, is coupled

with healthy rates from theinternational markets – USA,Canada and Europe.

According to Bennett, MeliáBraco is anticipating the local marketto start booking early, pre-Christmas

date December 1-23, as the summerrates are still very attractive for thefamily market over those dates.

For the Couples group of resorts,although their most popularproperties for locals are Tower Isleand Negril, Alex Ghisays, directorof sales, said that for their four

2 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018

PHOTO COURTESY OF RIU HOTELSRiu Montego Bay

Holiday Inn in Montego Bay

FAMILY RESORTS INDEMAND FOR CHRISTMAS,but Jamaicans are late bookers!

resorts, including Sans Souci andSwept Away, bookings look prettygood for Christmas, but all proper-ties are showing some space untilDecember 28.

“Our local business is mostlyrepeaters, so this is the norm forthis period,” she explained.

Sandals Resorts is alsoexperiencing and projecting veryhigh occupancies across all itsresorts, inline with traditionalbooking uptakes for the period.“Local to international bookingsare also in-line, with over 95 per

cent,” said organisations groupmanager, public relations, SherylMcGaw-Douse.

And it gets better at the Jeweland Hilton resorts, which are allshowing high occupancy forChristmas into the New Year,according to Jewel and HiltonResorts director of marketing,Charmaine Deane.

“Over the years, we have seen anincreasing number of Jamaicans forChristmas, especially the family-based ones, and this is no less. Ofour overall totals, between five and

10 per cent are locals, who areprimarily booked over Christmasand Boxing Day for the familyresorts and a little less for theadults-only,” said Deane.

Being busy is normal for this timeof year, she admitted, noting thatthe number of local bookings hasbeen growing steadily as it seemsthat persons prefer to enjoy the

holiday and be catered to ratherthan to be in the kitchen or havefood prepared catered at home.

Many of the smaller hotels aredoing quite well as well, and thiswas evidenced by the responsefrom Sea Gardens Beach Resort’sdirector of sales, Tricia-AnnBicarie, who told HospitalityJamaica that her hotel has been

sold out for the Christmas holidayssince as early as October.

“The only offerings we haveavailable are day and eveningpasses for persons wishing to spendChristmas Day or have Christmasdinner with us, and they arelimited,” added Bicarie.

[email protected]

HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 3WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018

PHOTOS BY DAVE RODNEY

The new Moon Palace in Ocho Rios is sensational, colourfuland exciting.

CONTRIBUTED

The Royalton WhiteSands Resort inMontego Bay.

HOTELS IN the resort areas of theisland are gearing up to competefor the Chairman’s Trophy in thisyear’s Reggae Marathon, Half-Marathon and 10K, set for Sunday,December 2.

The trophy was introduced lastyear in honour of Ewart Barclay,the late chairman of the ReggaeMarathon, Half-Marathon and10K. The inaugural trophy wasawarded to Negril’s Rock HouseHotel on the Negril’s West End,which had the winning hotel teamin the 10K.

“The trophy is again up for grabsthis year among Jamaican hotelteams and word is that those fromNegril, as well as Montego Bay andother resort areas are training hardto win it,” said Alfred ‘Frano’Francis, race director.

In addition, Francis noted thatthe IAAF certification of the racecourse along the Negril main roadremains in effect for another threeyears and can to be used by runnerswanting to qualify for the Olympicsand World Championships, or toenter marathons such as theprestigious annual Boston Marathonor London Marathon events, whichrequire a qualifying time.

The reminder was given byFrancis, who has been ramping up

the promotion of the races locallyand overseas.

He said the prize purse remainsat approximately J$1 million. Inaddition, there will be a specialprize purse, which was instituted in2015 but has never been utilised,for Jamaicans who break any of thethree race records. TheJamdammers Running Club willdouble the prize of any Jamaicanbreaking any of the establishedrecords held to date, as follows:

REGGAE MARATHON

� Male record holder: PamenosBallentyne, St Vincent, 2001 –2:21:05� Female record holder: RamiliaBurangulova, Russia, 2001 –2:42:25

REGGAE HALF-MARATHON

� Male record holder: MosesMacharia, Kenya, 2001 – 1:08:32� Female record holder – JacklineToror, Kenya, 2001 – 1:16:12Reggae 10K� Male record holder: Shawn Pit-ter, Jamaica, 2012 – 29:55� Female record holder: CarrieTollefson, USA, 2011 – 36:17

So far only one Jamaican, ShawnPitter, has set a record in any of thethree races and his was in the 10Kevent.

TOURISM MINISTER,Edmund Bartlett says thereis currently a demand for

5,000 Jamaican seafarers in thecruise industry.

Speaking last Tuesday (Novem-ber 20) at the graduation ceremonyfor the Blue Ocean Servidores pilotprogramme, offered at theCaribbean Maritime University, theminister said,

“I have been told by the cruiselines that Jamaican seafarers are inthe highest demand in the cruisebusiness, but they have labourmarket arrangements which needtweaking,” Bartlett told thegraduates.

“As we speak, there is a demandfor 5,000 seafarers. Therefore, gradu-ating from the Maritime University,focusing on tourism is a very posi-tive area with immediate demand.”

The minister also noted thatthere are plans in place to furtherdevelop the marine tourism indus-try so that more Jamaicans willbenefit from increased earningsfrom the sector.

“We are just finishing discussionswith two of the largest investors in

maritime tourism – one to come toPort Royal and the other one in theMontego Bay area. One thing thatJamaica has not yet developedproperly is marinas for yachting andmaritime tourism – this is a high-income and special demographicarea of tourism. It is an area wherethe rich and the famous particularlycontrol,” he stated.

Jamaica, he argued, has not beenable to dominate, but was lookingforward to do just that.

“We are also talking to our cruiseship partners in a very strong wayfor you,” said Minister Bartlett.

The aim of the Blue Ocean Servi-dores is to equip students with theskills and knowledge required for asmooth transition to the cruisetourism sector as professionals.

Training took place with 10students over an eight-week period,with classes on basic safety; shipsecurity awareness; crowd and crisismanagement; protocol; businessetiquette; résumé writing; andmanaging your IT footprint. Allparticipants were students enrolledin the bachelor of science degree

programme in cruise shipping andmarine tourism.

The minister also took theopportunity to encourage thegraduates to consider enrolling inthe Ministry of Tourism’s trainingarm, the Jamaica Centre forTourism Innovation (JCTI) foradditional certification to attainmanagement roles in the industry.

“The course that you have doneand the degree that you will getafter you have completed the four-year period, is a start to qualify youfor higher levels of placement inthe tourism sector. The JCTI is apathway institution to certify youfor leadership,” said the minister.

He further emphasised that “onceyou have been trained, certified andcompetent, then you are at thevanguard of the prosperity agenda ofJamaica. I encourage you tounderstand that knowledge is to beused as a tool for engagement andempowerment and to add value. Ifyou are able to so use the knowledge,then prosperity will be yours.”


Runners enjoying the race course at Reggae Marathon.

Hotel Teamsgearing up forChairman’s Trophy

Jamaican seafarersare in the highestdemand in the cruisebusiness, says Bartlett

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (5th right) and VP of university advancement and developmentat the Caribbean Maritime University, Evron McLean (left), join graduates of the Blue OceanServidores pilot programme, offered at the Caribbean Maritime University, for a photograph afterreceiving their certificates.


Group of trainees on the Sandals management trainee programme.

Lennox Speid, management

trainee at Sandals.

TWENTY-SEVEN YOUNG people are tobenefit from hands-on training andregional travel as part of the company’s

signature Management Trainee ProgrammeCommitted to investing in the development

of young people across the Caribbean andcontinuing to strengthen its succession-planningstrategy, Sandals Resorts International (SRI)has, since 2012, recruited over 100 trainee man-agers to participate in its Management TraineeProgramme.

Most recently, 27 new trainees were selectedfrom among 138 applicants across the region tojoin the competitive and robust programme.Some will be trained for two years, others three.

The MTP prepares both new hires andexisting team members for exciting managementand leadership roles throughout the company.Management trainees are exposed to strategichands-on training through rotations in variousdepartments at a number of the company’sresorts throughout the region. This year’strainees, the fifth cohort to benefit from theprogramme since its reintroduction in 2012,include nationals of Jamaica, The Bahamas,Barbados, and St Lucia.

They will be trained in the divisions such asbutler, Club Sandals, engineering, entertainment,watersports, food and beverage, housekeeping,sales, resort shop, Red Lane Spa, and weddings.

Intern Lennox Speid, a recent universitygraduate, speaking of the programme, said thathe was enjoying learning the ropes of anindustry he was desirous of making his mark onand had big dreams of one day holding a perma-nent position within the Sandals chain.

A Jamaican national, Speid is among threetrainees who will be immersed in the operationsof the company’s Butler Division. He hopes tobecome a butler manager and to one day moveinto the operations division. Excited about thejourney, he said, “I think this programme willhelp me to achieve my goals through the rigor-ous training that will allow me hands-onexperience and prepare me for my career path. Ihave already been impacted and changed inmany ways over the course of the orientation.”

IMPRESSIVE TALENT

Adam Stewart, SRI’s deputy chairman, saidthe programme was illustrative of the company’scommitment to investing in and providing oppor-tunities for young people across the region. “Thetalent that exists in our resorts and our communi-ties is impressive. We are committed to identifyingthese talented young people, providing them withopportunities for growth and development, andhelping them to find and pursue their passions. TheManagement Trainee Programme is one of theinitiatives I am most proud of because I have seenhow it has changed the lives of countless young

people across the region,” he said.He continued, “This programme is an

investment in our team members, aninvestment in the young people of theCaribbean, and, ultimately, an investment inthe region’s hospitality sector. We are resolutein our commitment to developing our humanresources, and I am excited for the new traineemanagers who have embarked on this life-changing journey.”

Life-changing is exactly the word that bestdescribes what the experience means forSheudy Henry, a St Lucian national who startedwith the company as a hospitality trainee.Henry hopes to become a food and beveragemanager, and eventually, the company’s chiefoperations officer.

Devron McFarlane, who has worked as anAC and refrigeration technician at SandalsMontego Bay for 11 years, took a leap of faithin his quest to better himself.

“Personal development and growth havealways been important to me. I have a love forair conditioning and refrigeration, but I amalso multifaceted. I like chemistry, plumbing,and electrical work, and I just want to createthings.” McFarlane hopes to become a chiefengineer within the chain and also harboursdreams of being the first Jamaican to createhis own brand of refrigerator for the market.

St Lucian Sheudy Henry,management trainee atSandals.

Devron McFarlane, manage-

ment trainee at Sandals.

Sandals recruits newbatch of trainee managers

AS PROMISED, this year’s18th staging of ReggaeMarathon, Half-Marathon

and 10K will be held on a Sunday,December 2, and the locationremains Negril, again starting atLong Bay Beach Park on theNorman Manley Boulevardpromptly at 5:15 a.m.

Already, participants from 30countries have registered, with thelargest group set to come from theReggae Runnerz club out of theUSA, which has a contingent ofover 400 runners and supporters.

“The event has earned thereputation of being aninternational event, known for itsseamless execution, with elementsof fun and music; perfect for thoserunners who use the opportunity tovisit the island for a ‘runcation’,specifically to be a part of this greatsporting event,” said Alfred ‘Frano’Francis, race director.

He said the race, which isorganised by Jamdammers RunningClub of Kingston, boasts a coursethat is certified by the IAAF, whichalso serves as a qualifier for anyinternational event requiringqualification for a world record, orto enter such events as the BostonMarathon, which need a qualifyingtime for participation.

Participants in the ReggaeMarathon, Half Marathon and 10Kwill need to pick up their packageson both Friday, November 30, andSaturday, December 1, at Couples

Swept Away Sports Complex from1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the first day,and from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on thesecond day.

On Saturday, December 1, theNegril chapter of the Jamaica Hoteland Tourist Association will againhost the signature World’s BestPasta Party at Couples Swept Away

from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Immediately following the run on

Sunday, the organisers haveplanned a Victory Beach Party andAwards Ceremony at Long BayBeach Park, beginning 7 a.m.

As in the past, plans have beenput in place to ensure the comfortof the participants from the time

they begin until they cross thefinish line.

Although the run begins at 5:15 a.m. on December 2, thecourse will remain open for sixhours. “However, marathoners mustreach the halfway mark in threehours,” said Francis. There will beaid stations every mile, manned by

experienced marathoners andenthusiastic volunteers. Accordingto Francis, there will also be coolingstations with misters and iced towelwraps, as well as inspirationalreggae music at every mile to helpin motivating the participants tokeep going.

In addition, medical stations andfully equipped ambulances will bepositioned along the course, ade-quately manned by medical teams.

“We look forward to anothergreat staging, where ourparticipants will not only enjoy asporting event of the highestinternational standards, but will getan opportunity to see our beautifulisland and what it has to offer ourvisitors,” said Francis.

The testimonials over the years,from persons who have come toJamaica to be a part of the event,have been glowing.

“It was a pleasure for myself andmy mate to run in the ReggaeMarathon. It was fabulous asalways. It was our fifth run and weare ready for next year. Thank youfor putting on such a spectacularevent!” wrote Cordell.

Gerd, a 2016 participant, said:“A great experience I will not forgetthis race. The organisation wasperfect. Thank you to all who madethe race possible.”

Persons wishing to participate inthe race can register on line atwww.reggaemarathon.com or bymail sent to Reggae Marathon, 87-89 Tower Street, Kingston. Mailentries must be postmarkedNovember 23, 2018, at the latest,while on-line registration will closeon November 28, 2018. There willbe no registration or packagecollection on race day.

Among the partners of this year’sevent are The Jamaica TouristBoard, Negril Chapter of theJamaica Hotel and Tourist Associa-tion, Jamaica Athletics Administra-tive Association, the Ministry ofHealth, and volunteers from Negriland Green Island, among others.

TOURISM MINISTER Edmund Bartlett hasbeen appointed to the board of sitting minis-ters and appointed public officials of the newlyformed African Tourism Board association.

Bartlett received the appointment while inLondon recently, during the official unveilingof the multinational body at this year’s WorldTravel Market (WTM). The organisation,which is part of the International Coalition ofTourism Partners, was developed to promote

the hospitality sector in Africa.Other members include Hon José

Gonçalves, Cape Verde’s minister of tourism;Hon Minister Mahmoud Kombo, Zanzibar’sminister of information, tourism and heritage;Pascal Viroleau, CEO, The Vanilla IslandsOrganisation; and Hon Dr Memunatu Pratt,Sierra Leone’s minister of tourism & culture.

The leadership of the group also includes anumber of international travel journalists, as well

as leading African travel and tourism companies.During the unveiling ceremony, the

initiative received endorsement from formersecretary general of the United NationsWorld Tourism Organization, Dr Taleb Rifai,and president of the World Travel Awards,Graham Cooke.

The African Tourism Board provides alignedadvocacy, insightful research, and innovativeevents to its members. It aims to enhance the

sustainable growth, value, and quality of traveland tourism to, from, and within Africa.

The association will provide leadership andcounsel on an individual and collective basis toits member organisations. It is also expandingon opportunities for marketing, public relations,investments, branding, and promoting andestablishing niche markets.

The official launch is scheduled to takeplace in Cape Town, South Africa, April 2019.


Bartlett appointed to African tourism board

30 countries alreadyregistered forReggae Marathon

From left: Alfred ‘Frano Francis, race director, Reggae Marathon; Donovan White, director oftourism; Diane Ellis, sponsorship director, Reggae Marathon; Ryon Chambers, participant of theHiLyte team; Aileen Corrigan, president, Jamdammers Running Club; Ali McNab, adviser to theminister of culture, gender, entertainment and sport; and Ian Kelly, chairman, Reggae, Marathon.

ADVERTISEMENT HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 7WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018

WHETHER IT is to the balm yard or toBath Fountains, people are alwaysheading to St Thomas to get somehealing. Now, there is another placethat people can travel to, to get avariety of resuscitations.

The Ni Mala Wellness Centre islocated on the Source Farm at JohnsTown in Paul Bogle’s parish, andrecently, I visited a death-and-dyingcoaching session there. Not that I amdying, as far as I know, but I attendedout of curiosity. The session reallyhelped me to understand some of thesensibilities and philosophies aboutdeath and dying.

“Ni Mala means igniting the soul,”the Source Farm said, “It is throughigniting the soul that we can align orrealign to our purpose on Earth. For wetravel here with divine gifts and talentsto fulfil a great purpose for ourselves,our human family and the Earth. NiaMala is a place that will support ourexpansion and remind us of our personalmission and promise.”

The idea is to restore your health, self-

esteem/self-worth, wealth, financialstability, knowledge about your body. It isalso to restore your connectedness toyour spirit, to Earth, the ecosystem, fam-ily, friends, career, and life path.

The transition (death and dying) ses-sion is one of many services offered byNi Mala. Others are massages, Reiki,meditation, detox, hiking, sweat lodging,fire ceremonies, bathing, ora cleaning,chocolate ceremony, forest bathing,herbal tours, and hot-mud treatment.

It also hosts yoga, spiritual, food, plantmedicine, meditation, birding, men,women, mother-and-daughter, father-and-son, birthing, drumming, music,writers, and artist retreats. The propertyon which it is located is one of the placesI go to reconnect to nature when I slackoff. It is truly one of those away-from-the-madding-crowd spaces, wherenature could be your only companion.

Yet, the healing starts with thebreath-stopping views of the sea, andthe mountains. You feel like you want tosoar. I wish I had wings. For at Ni Malayou “restore and ascend”.

Carl GilchristGleaner Writer

TWO CHILDREN, whose parentsare employed to Moon PalaceJamaica in Ocho Rios, recently

returned to the island after spending theirprize trip of 10 days at Disney World inFlorida, USA.

The children, Gianna Goldbourne whoattends St Hilda’s Diocesan High School,and Adrian Gore, of Ocho Rios High,thoroughly enjoyed themselves, accord-ing to Natalie Boreland, manager, MoonPalace Foundation, which was responsi-ble for the trips.

Each year, the foundation offers theprizes to the children of members of staffwho contribute to the foundation.

“It was awesome!” said Boreland, who,along with the parents, accompanied thechildren.

“Each day, they went to a differentlocation – Disney Park, Universal Studios,Islands of Adventure, Magic Kingdom,Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom,Epcot Centre, Sea World. It was fun forthem,” Boreland revealed.

Adrian told Hospitality Jamaica thathe was sick on the day when the draw wasmade to select the winners.

“I was sick that day but when I heard Iwon, I was instantly better,” he said.

It was a dream come true for mebecause I was always telling my parents tocarry me there. It was terrific! I was able tomeet a lot of people from different cultures.I enjoyed seeing some of my favourite char-acters. Thank you, Moon Palace Jamaicaand Miss Natalie Boreland.”

Gianna’s mother, Beverly Goldbourne,said that when she heard she had won thetrip, she was very excited.

“I was so excited I couldn’t eat mylunch because I wanted her to go toDisney so much. When I heard that Iwon, oh God, oh God, oh God!”

Her daughter was just as excited whenshe broke the news to her.

“She jumped, she screamed, she was soexcited. And the trip was great. Now, shewants to go back.”

At the same time, a group of five fromPalace Foundation in Mexico was alsothere on a prize trip. “All the kids bondedwell and I’m sure Gianna and Adrianwould have made lifelong friends,” Gold-bourne added.

For the past three years, transportationfor the trip has been provided by DeltaAirlines, and this year, Gianna and Adrianwere able to take a photograph with oneof the airline captains, much to theirsatisfaction.

The hotel’s vacation club sponsoredaccommodation for the group.

8 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 9WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018

Adrian strikes a pose in front the Universal globe.

Natalie Boreland with Adrian and Gianna.

Adrian and Gianna with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

The Ni Mala Wellness Centre in Johns Town, St Thomas.

Patrons going through a death-and-dying training session at the Ni MalaWellness Centre at Johns Town, St Thomas.

Moon Palace Foundationsends workers’ kids to

Disney World

A section of the gift shop at the Ni Mala Wellness Centre in Johns Town,St Thomas.

PHOTOS BY PAUL H.

WILLIAMS

A captivating viewof the CaribbeanSea from the NiMala Wellness

Centre in JohnsTown, St Thomas.

AROUND JS WITH PAUL H. WILLIAMS

Healing inthe east

People go to the Ni MalaWellness Centre in Johns Town,St Thomas, “to restore andascend”.

Adrian and Gianna at UniversalOrlando Resort.

JAMAICA’S MINISTER ofTourism, the Hon EdmundBartlett, and Director of

Tourism Donovan White wereon hand to officially welcomeFrontier Airlines’ inauguralflight between North Carolinaand Montego Bay on Saturday,November 17.

Flights are scheduled tooperate twice per week –Saturday and Wednesday –using an Airbus A320 aircraftwith a seating capacity of 168.This means that the destinationhas the potential to welcome anadditional 336 passengers in agiven week as a result of thisnew service if loads perform at100 per cent capacity.

The Frontier’s RDU/MBJservice, contributessignificantly to the 38,000additional seats that will serveJamaica for the upcomingpeak season. In addition tothe RDU/MBJ service,Frontier is also set tointroduce scheduled servicesfrom Philadelphia to MBJ thiswinter with their inauguralflight slated for Sunday,February 10, 2019.


Toast of Brooklyn

Marcia Sinclair, district sales manager, Jamaica Tourist Board,and celebrity Chef Wenford P. Simpson share a taste of Jamaicawith patrons attending the 11th annual Toast of Brooklyn.

Chef Wenford Simpson open-face Jerk Chicken Taco withMango chutney at the Toast of Brooklyn.

Chef Wenford Simpson’s Escoveitch Whiting Fish with CurrySuccotash at the Toast of Brooklyn, hosted by the JamaicaTourist Board.

Jamaica’s Director of Tourism Donovan White welcome passen-gers on the new flight from North Carolina to Montego Bay withnecklaces shortly after the Frontier Airlines Flight Airbus A320touched down at the Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay.

From left: Senior Adviser/strategist to the tourism minister Delano Seiveright; Jamaica TouristBoard’s Regional Director Odette Dyer; JHTA President, Omar Robinson; Jamaica’s Minister ofTourism Edmund Bartlett; and Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Donovan White (second from left),welcomed Captain Matthew Galla, and First Officer Joseph Maniscalco of the Frontier Airlinesnew flight from North Carolina to Montego Bay.

Jamaica welcomes newservice from NorthCarolina to MoBay on Frontier Airlines

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett greets a passengerfrom North Carolina at the Sangster International Airport.

THE JAMAICA Tourist Board (JTB) showcased the island’s flavourfulcuisine at the 11th annual Toast of Brooklyn Wine & Food Festival held inthe Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. The JTB partnered withCelebrity Chef Wenford P. Simpson, a Walkerswood ambassador whoserved up an open-face Jerk Chicken Taco with Mango Chutney andEscoveitch Whiting Fish with Curry Succotash that were a big hit withattendees.

Toast of Brooklyn is an annual fall event that combines the distinctive,eclectic taste of Brooklyn’s culinary experience with wines and spirits fromaround the world. For this year’s event, organisers partnered with theCaribbean Tourism Organisation to bring chefs from the Caribbean tohighlight signature dishes.

THE PARISH of St Elizabethobserves another milestoneas the Tourism Product

Development Company Ltd.(TPDCo) celebrated 25representatives from 14 entities andone individual completing thePrivate Security Regulation Authority(PSRA) training programme theTreasure Beach community.

Executive Director of TPDCo Dr Andrew Spencer, in his keynoteaddress at the graduation ceremony,said that there was a seismic shift inJamaica owing to the strides beingmade in the tourism sector.

“This is the thrust of anorganisation that understands what a developed nation ought tolook like.”

He lauded Minister of TourismEdmund Bartlett for his foresight,particularly at a time when theground is shifting in the industry

worldwide. “We have to be pre-pared,” he argued.

The PSRA training programme,a by-product of the Spruce-UpJamaica campaign, is anamalgamated initiative with theTPDCo and Minister of State, inthe Ministry of Education, Youthand Information Floyd Green.

The project is aimed atimproving the compliance rate insouth coast properties.

Spencer also said that the agency

was pleased with the outcome thattwo licensed entities that participat-ed will become compliant afterobtaining certification.

Four of the 12 unlicensed entitiesare in the process of obtaining theoutstanding documents to apply fora Jamaica Tourist Board licence,and eight remaining entities will befacilitated by the TPDCo until theyare formalised.

He pledged to continue workingwith the entities so that none ofthem would be left behind.

Green, in his remarks, said thatthe initiative was importantbecause the best way to build atourism product was to start withthe human resources.

He noted the importance ofensuring that all the entities arelicensed and have certifiedemployees in their establishment.

Spencer lauded the collaboration,stating that it was evidence that the

only way forward in the industrywas through partnerships. “We arefostering an industry that strives forboundless inclusivity across theisland with all individuals who con-tribute, even in the minutest man-ner, to the tourism product, and, byextension, Brand Jamaica.”

The TPDCo will maintain therelationship with Minister Green tocontinue to further develop the

Mecca of community-based tourisminitiatives, in Treasure Beach.

The initiative falls under thehand-holding services exercised bythe TPDCo in an effort to ensurethat all tourism entities in thesector are compliant with thevarious laws and regulations thatare complementary to the TouristBoard Act.


Treasure Beachpositively impactedby the seismic shift in Tourism

PSRA graduates, representing 14 entities and one individual party, gather for a photograph with (from left) Julian Patrick – director of product development andCommunity tourism, TPDCo; Floyd Green, minister of state in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information; and Dr Andrew Spencer, executive director,TPDCo Ltd.

Newly PSRA certified Jermaine Baker of Jakes Holdings Ltd,receives his certificate from the Honourable Floyd Green, minis-ter of state, in the ministry of education, youth and information,at the graduation ceremony held at Bred’s Sports Complex onNovember 22, 2018.

“This is the thrustof an organisationthat understands what a developednation ought to

look like.”

Paul H. WilliamsHospitality Jamaica Writer

IT WAS all smiles as the ribbonswere cut to signal the officialopening of the upgraded

Lyssons Beach in St Thomas onThursday, November 15.

Officials witnessing the openingwere Tourism Minister EdmundBartlett, executive director of theTourism Enhancement Fund (TEF)Dr Carey Wallace, Eastern StThomas Member of Parliament DrFenton Ferguson, Dr MichelleCharles, Tourism ProductDevelopment Company (TPDCo)executive director Dr AndrewSpencer, Mayor of Morant BayCouncillor Michael Hue, andJamaica Labour Party candidate forEastern Portland Ann-Marie Vaz.

The beach was part of an oldsugar estate whose factories wereoperated by a windmill. The estatewas last owned by Custos TonyPhillips, who sold it to the Govern-ment many years ago. Phillips isburied in a private cemetery not farfrom the beach.

Ten acres, including a fishingbeach, were made a public beach,while a section of the western baywas given to The University of theWest Indies to be used by students

and staff. The eastern bay became afishing village.The then St ThomasParish Council took over themanagement of the property butfailed to care it. The middle section,

the bathing beach, was abandonedfor over 30 years. It became coveredby bush and garbage.

Some parishioners tried to leaseit to restore it as a public beach,


The recentlyupgraded Lyssons

Beach in St Thomas.UPGRADED LYSSONSBEACH OFFICIALLY OPENED

UPGRADED LYSSONSBEACH OFFICIALLY OPENED

A rehabilitated walkway at the recently upgraded LyssonsBeach.

The bar at Lyssons Beach.

Shower facilities at Lyssons Beach, St Thomas.

but it was not until the NationalLand Agency took it over that theTPDCo became the main lessee.

Then, an entity, EasternAttractions, a not-for-profitcompany, led by Ainsley Henriquesand made up of St Thomasresidents, sublet and undertook therestoration of the beach.

With millions of dollars raisedfrom the Environmental Foundationof Jamaica, Eastern Attractionsturned a quarter mile of beach andsome seven acres of land into lawns.There were three roofless buildingshells on the site. One was trans-formed into a bath and changingroom, another into an office and abar. A shed was also restored and anold toilet block destroyed.

For 14 years, Eastern Attractionsmanaged the beach, known asSwimmers Bay, without chargingadmission fees. The main source ofincome came from parking andchanging-room fees. A few yearsago, when the Governmentembarked on a policy to providefunding for the upgrading of publicbeaches, Eastern Attractionswanted Swimmers Bay to be thesecond beach to access the funds,and under its supervision, workstarted on the upgrade.

Restrooms were renovated; thesewerage was upgraded; fivegazebos, a footbridge, a guardhouse,and walkways were constructed;three lifeguard stands were erected;

the lower driveway and parking areawere rehabilitated; and an outdoorshower was put in place.

However, Eastern Attractionswould have to be responsible forfuture repairs, but knowing that thebeach could not generate revenuesfor such repairs, it decided that thelease would have to be modified orterminated. The latter happened,but the beach continued to be man-aged for free by Eastern Attractions.

Last year, TPDCo took over themanagement of Swimmers Bay and

embarked upon phase two of theproject, which included the con-struction of a wooden perimeterfence and the fabrication of achain-link fence for demarcationpurposes. Seats were constructedaround the trees on the beach, andthe parking lot and driveway werecompleted.

In addressing the gathering atthe opening ceremony, MinisterBartlett said, among other things,“Tourism development is a meansby which we can diversify a local

economy, minimise the rural urbandrift, and drive inclusive andsustainable development. We canagree that the parish of St Thomasneeds this at this time. In fact, theGovernment of Jamaica hastargeted the parish for specialdevelopmental focus, and tourismhas been selected as a key driver forthat development.”

Thus, the minister said that hisministry has commissioned atourism destination assessment ofSt Thomas with a view to under-standing the current state of

tourism in the parish.A total of $49 million was

provided by the TEF for theupgrade of Swimmers Bay under itsNational Beach DevelopmentProgramme. Other beachesupgraded through the programmeare Marking Stone Beach in StMary and Burwood Beach inTrelawny. Salem Beach in RunawayBay, St Ann, is next on the list,while another 12 beaches are in thedesign stage for this financial year,according to a release from theMinistry of Tourism.


From left: Dr Carey Wallace, executive director of the TourismEnhancement Fund; Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Member ofParliament for Eastern St Thomas Dr Fenton Ferguson; Dr MichelleCharles; Dr Andrew Spencer, executive director of the TourismProduct Development Company; Mayor of Morant Bay CouncillorMichael Hue; and JLP Member of Parliament Ann-Marie Vaz.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett plays lifeguard for a moment as he chats with (from left) Dr Michelle Charles; Dr Andrew Spencer,executive director of the Tourism Product Development Company; and Eastern St Thomas Member of Parliament Dr Fenton Ferguson.

A gazebo at Lyssons Beach

Ainsley Henriques of EasternAttractions managed theSwimmers Bay Beach at Lyssonsfor 14 years before it was handedback to the Government.

Paul H. WilliamsHospitality Jamaica Writer

THERE WAS a blushing bride(Mockalea Gordon) dressedin white; a doting groom

(Sedayne Samuels) with an ear-to-ear smile; a maid of honour andtwo bridesmaids, one of whom

marched down the aisle alonebecause one of the two groomsmenwas late; and a best man.

A flower girl sprinkled bluepetals; a proud giveaway fatherhanded over his daughter to thegroom; the couple exchangedwedding vows and rings; the brideand groom kissed passionately infront of the officiating minister,Witcliffe Doyley, whose utterancesand shenanigans gave the witnessesstitches.

But it was the kiss, rather thekisses, that sent the gathering intoan uproar. And that last one, whenthe bride embraced the groom andclosed her eyes, is one that Samuelswill never forget.

Minutes before the nuptials, itseemed like the knots were notgoing to be tied under the mangotree. The skies were dark, and waterdroplets fell from them on to thechairs and the white carpet onwhich the bridal party was to march.

Horrors of horrors! It was goingto rain on their parade. But, theorganisers were spared the hassle ofputting plan B into action. Therain held up, and under thewatching eyes of onlookers, thecouple exchanged vows and rings.They were now husband andwife.Through a guard of honour,the young husband carried away hisnew wife to sign the register asguests cheered wildly.

In the reception hall, decoratedin blue, orange and white motifs,elegantly dressed guests waited forthe bridal party to appear. When itdid, there were more cheers andflashing cameras. At the head tablethe party sat, and the formalitieswere continued by an emcee, whoshould not sing, but who did a goodjob of engaging the diners.

There was a serenade, and an

unveiling and a cutting of the cake,after which the bride and groom fedeach other, much to everybody’sdelight. There was much fun andgames, the tossing of the bouquet,and a proposal to the young womanwho caught it by the groomsmanwho came late.

It all took place on the CampRoad campus of St Andrew’s Excel-sior Community College on Friday,November 16, only that it was not areal wedding, and the two students

who played the role of bride andgroom were not legally married.

The mock wedding, which theyand their second-year classmatesplanned and executed, was inpartial fulfilment of therequirements for passing theirmeetings and events managementcourse in pursuance of theirassociate of science degree intourism hospitality andentertainment management.According to their lecturer,


The ‘groom’ escorts the ‘bride’ down the aisle.

From left: ‘Bridesmaids’ Trinel Commrie and Chantel Punanay,and maid of honour Dacian Meade.

A ‘wedding’TO REMEMBER

The ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ kiss shortly after ‘exchanging vows’.

Marsha Gowie-Phillips, they wereprovided with the “prerequisiteknowledge”, which they wereexpected to apply.

The students were evaluated onpre-event activities, the relevance ofthe presenters, the event’s

programme, the flow of the activities,food services, etc. They were alsorequired to evaluate their own efforts.

“I was very impressed, to startwith. My expectations were at aparticular point. I am proud ofthem. I feel like everybody pulled

their weight; there was a lot ofcohesiveness and team work thatmade the function what it was,which was awesome, and I liked it,”Gowie-Phillips said, when asked togive a feedback.

In her assessment, manager ofthe event, Sashana Christie, whoalso serenaded the ‘couple’, said shehad mixed feeling at certain pointsas she felt she was not getting the

support she needed, and there weresome fundraising challenges.However, she said, “I am so glad itwas a success. Apart from the rainmessing everything up at thebeginning, I really think we wowedthe lecturers.

And as for the ‘bride’ and‘groom’, if for whatever reason theydo not get married in real life, theyhave got a ‘wedding’ to remember.


Guests cheer as the ‘bride’ and ‘groom’ enter the reception.

The ‘groom’ and ‘bride’ cut the cake.

The ‘groom’ puts on the ring while the ‘officiating’ minister,Witcliffe Doyley, looks on.

Otelia McPherson serenadingthe ‘bride’ and ‘groom’.

From left: Best man Brad Gooden, and groomsmen DevontePalmer and Tajee Brown.

THE INTERNATIONAL AirTransport Association(IATA) revealed that present

trends in air transport suggest thatpassenger numbers could double to8.2 billion in 2037.

The latest update to IATA’s 20-Year Air Passenger Forecast showsthat an increasing shift Eastwardsin the centre of gravity of theindustry is behind the continuedstrong growth. Over the next twodecades, the forecast anticipates a3.5 per cent compound annualgrowth rate (CAGR), leading to adoubling in passenger numbersfrom today’s levels.

The association warned, however,that growth prospects for air trans-port, and the economic benefitsdriven by aviation, could be cur-tailed if protectionist measures areimplemented by governments.

“Aviation is growing, and that isgenerating huge benefits for theworld. A doubling of air passengersin the next 20 years could support100 million jobs globally. Thereare two important things that standout about this year’s forecast. First,we are seeing a geographicalreshuffling of world air traffic tothe East. And second, we foresee asignificant negative impact on thegrowth and benefits of aviation iftough and restrictive protectionistmeasures are implemented,” saidAlexandre de Juniac, IATA’sdirector general and CEO.

Eastward shift inaviation’s centre ofgravity continues

The Asia-Pacific region willdrive the biggest growth, withmore than half the total number ofnew passengers over the next 20years coming from these markets.Growth in this market is beingdriven by a combination ofcontinued robust economic growth,improvements in householdincomes, and favourable populationand demographic profiles.

China will displace the UnitedStates as the world’s largest aviationmarket (defined as traffic to, from,and within the country) in the

mid-2020s. The rebalancing ofChina’s economy towardsconsumption will support strongpassenger demand over the longterm.

India will take third place afterthe US, surpassing the UK around2024.

Indonesia is forecast to be astandout performer, climbing fromthe world’s 10th largest aviationmarket in 2017 to the fourth largestby 2030.

Thailand is expected to enter thetop 10 markets in 2030, replacingItaly ,which drops out of theranking.

Globalisation reversedor liberalisationincreased?

The 3.5 per cent CAGR to 2037assumes an unchanged policyframework over that period. Policyshifts, however, are likely overtime. Should protectionismcontinue to expand in a ‘reverse

globalisation’ scenario, aviationwould continue to grow but at aslower pace and deliver fewereconomic and social benefits.Under a liberalised environment,connectivity would generatesignificantly more jobs and GDP growth.

“Global prosperity depends onair connectivity. Aviation issensitive to policies that eithersupport or undermine growth. Andthese seem to be pointing in thewrong direction. Dampeningdemand for air connectivity riskshigh-quality jobs and economicactivity dependent on globalmobility.

“This forecast is a cautionarywarning to governments. First, theindustry will grow, but they mustclear the infrastructure bottlenecksto bring that growth to their homemarkets. And second, governmentsmust understand that globalisationhas made our world more sociallyand economically prosperous.Inhibiting globalisation with

protectionism will seeopportunities lost,” said de Juniac.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND

SUSTAINABILITY

No matter which growthscenario comes to pass, aviationfaces an infrastructure crisis.Governments must work closelywith the industry to be moreambitious in developing efficientinfrastructure, fit for purpose, andoffering value for money.

“The world stands to benefitgreatly from better connectivity.However, at this rate, airports andair traffic control will not be able tohandle demand. Governments andinfrastructure operators must strate-gically plan for the future. Decisionsmade now will have an impact onthe value created by aviation fortheir regions,” said de Juniac.

The increased demand to flycreates a responsibility to expandin a sustainable manner. Theaviation industry remainscommitted to its goals of carbon-neutral growth from 2020 onwards

and cutting CO2 emissions to half2005 levels by 2050.

“Commercial aviation is one ofthe only global industries to takeon such comprehensive environ-mental targets. With mandatoryemissions reporting beginning on 1January 2019 under the CarbonOffsetting and Reduction Schemefor International Aviation, this willhelp rally the industry to invest inmore fuel-efficient aircraft andsustainable aviation fuels,” said de Juniac.

KEY FACTSFastest-growing aviation markets

in terms of annual additional O-Dpassengers from 2017 to 2037(constant policies scenario):� China: 1 billion new passengersfor a total of 1.6 billion� US: 481 million new passengersfor a total of 1.3 billion� India: 414 million new passengersfor a total of 572 million� Indonesia: 282 million newpassengers for a total of 411 million� Thailand: 116 million new pas-sengers for a total of 214 million

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE GLEANER COMPANY (MEDIA) LIMITED • 7 NORTH STREET • KINGSTON • JAMAICA

This February 23, 2011, file photo showsUnited Airlines planes taxiing at SanFrancisco International Airport in SanFrancisco.

Passenger numbers coulddouble to 8.2 billion in 2037

Hospitality The Gleaner Jamaicahospitalityjamaica.com/epaper/20181128.pdf · 28/11/2018 · Janet...

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