Jamaica Tourist Board's new partnership with H10 Hotels & Princess Hotels

Jamaica is evolving, and Travel Agent perception should too

Jamaica Tourist Board's new partnership with H10 Hotels & Princess Hotels

Angella Bennett says her immediate goal as she starts her tenure as Jamaica Tourist Board’s Regional Director of Tourism for Canada is to strengthen relationships with the Canadian trade.

Canada Connection

Already enjoying strong ties with retailers and suppliers alike, the Jamaica Tourist Board wants to build on that connection. They want to make sure agents know that they are their key partners and are very important to them.

Jamaica has a very high profile with Canadian travellers, with plenty of product. However, they are really a boutique island and they want to ensure that they get across the fact that this will never be an ‘cheap’ destination.

Jamaica doesn’t have the size of some other major Caribbean players but that suits the JTB just fine.

Hotelier Investments

Over the next five years Jamaica will also see its largest ever investment from hoteliers, adding 15,000 rooms to its stock, for a total capacity of some 50,000 rooms by 2024.

Earlier this year, Jamaica announced it had signed new deals with H10 Hotels and Princess Hotels & Resorts with a combined 3,000 new rooms set to open by 2021.

Other resort brands with new or pipeline products for the island include:

• Oceans by H10
• AC Marriott (part of the joint development with Sandals Resorts in Kingston)
• Hard Rock Hotels
• Karisma

Meanwhile, many existing Jamaica favourites are getting a refreshed including RIU Ocho Rios. It will be closing its doors for three months to add 45 family rooms and a waterpark.

Evolving Jamaica

Jamaica has evolved and it’s important that agents’ perception of the island evolves too. What’s needed now is more lift.

Specifically, Jamaica is looking for more capacity and more frequencies, especially from new and emerging gateways. Western Canada is a target, and Quebec.

Canada contributed significantly to soaring numbers of travellers in Jamaica’s best season yet in winter 2018/2019.