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More than 1-million airlift seats secured for winter tourist season
BY INGRID BROWN Senior staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Director of Tourism and chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), John Lynch, says Jamaica has already secured 1,050,000 airlift seats into the island this winter tourist season, which begins on December 15.
This, he said, reflects a three per cent increase over the number secured last year.
But while Lynch said the initial target was for 1.2-million seats, he is still satisfied with the numbers thus far.
"We would have liked at least 1.2-million seats for winter, but what we have is adequate to give us growth," he told the Observer yesterday at the 21st annual Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) now underway at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.
According to Lynch, the airline seats could further increase as more Spanish visitors come to Jamaica given the direct flights being offered by Copa Airlines out of 58 cities in North, Central and South America.
And, although the airline will initially offer only two weekly flights into Montego Bay as of December 11, Lynch said indications are that this will be increased shortly thereafter.
"We want to develop Copa to daily service and they are willing to do this as soon as possible," Lynch said.
He explained further that special emphasis is being placed on marketing Jamaica to the Latin American region now that those nationals have access to direct flights into Jamaica.
"Latin Americans often say they would love to come on vacation in Jamaica but with a family of four having to pay US$600 for the United States visa they just couldn't afford to come," he said. He added further that "with direct flights from there they no longer have that hassle.
In fact, Lynch said this coming winter Jamaica could see a doubling of the number of Spanish visitors from the 6,000 who visited between January and May. The winter tourist season ends in April.
According to Lynch, Latin America has become a primary part of the growth strategy for Jamaica. So much so there are plans for the Jamaican government to ease the visa restrictions for nationals from some Latin American countries to travel to the island.
And with the largest contingent of Latin American tour operators and media at this year's JAPEX, Lynch said Jamaica's tourism sector will start seeing the benefits almost immediately with expectations of an increase by December when a number of chartered flights are scheduled to arrive from several Latin American gateways.
According to Lynch, not many airlines are willing to fly to a destination without revenue support as fuel accounts for some 30 per cent of the operating cost. Jamaica is, however, only providing marketing support to Copa Airlines.
In the meantime, the tourism director said Jamaica continues to make steady progress in its traditional markets as it gets ready to kick off its advertising campaign in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, where Jamaica has been able to secure additional airlifts through US Airways and Air Tran. "Canada also continues to grow," Lynch said.
The JTB, Lynch said, is also looking to tap into the Russian market in a significant way now that the way is being cleared for more airlift from out of that region.
This year's JAPEX, which concludes tomorrow, includes 136 representatives from 98 buyer companies along with 248 participants from 91 supplier companies.
The three-day event gives Jamaican properties and attractions a chance to promote their products to travel agents, tour operators, wholesalers and trade media from the Americas and Europe.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1YWnVhuo7
BY INGRID BROWN Senior staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
MONTEGO BAY, St James — Director of Tourism and chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), John Lynch, says Jamaica has already secured 1,050,000 airlift seats into the island this winter tourist season, which begins on December 15.
This, he said, reflects a three per cent increase over the number secured last year.
But while Lynch said the initial target was for 1.2-million seats, he is still satisfied with the numbers thus far.
"We would have liked at least 1.2-million seats for winter, but what we have is adequate to give us growth," he told the Observer yesterday at the 21st annual Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) now underway at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.
According to Lynch, the airline seats could further increase as more Spanish visitors come to Jamaica given the direct flights being offered by Copa Airlines out of 58 cities in North, Central and South America.
And, although the airline will initially offer only two weekly flights into Montego Bay as of December 11, Lynch said indications are that this will be increased shortly thereafter.
"We want to develop Copa to daily service and they are willing to do this as soon as possible," Lynch said.
He explained further that special emphasis is being placed on marketing Jamaica to the Latin American region now that those nationals have access to direct flights into Jamaica.
"Latin Americans often say they would love to come on vacation in Jamaica but with a family of four having to pay US$600 for the United States visa they just couldn't afford to come," he said. He added further that "with direct flights from there they no longer have that hassle.
In fact, Lynch said this coming winter Jamaica could see a doubling of the number of Spanish visitors from the 6,000 who visited between January and May. The winter tourist season ends in April.
According to Lynch, Latin America has become a primary part of the growth strategy for Jamaica. So much so there are plans for the Jamaican government to ease the visa restrictions for nationals from some Latin American countries to travel to the island.
And with the largest contingent of Latin American tour operators and media at this year's JAPEX, Lynch said Jamaica's tourism sector will start seeing the benefits almost immediately with expectations of an increase by December when a number of chartered flights are scheduled to arrive from several Latin American gateways.
According to Lynch, not many airlines are willing to fly to a destination without revenue support as fuel accounts for some 30 per cent of the operating cost. Jamaica is, however, only providing marketing support to Copa Airlines.
In the meantime, the tourism director said Jamaica continues to make steady progress in its traditional markets as it gets ready to kick off its advertising campaign in New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, where Jamaica has been able to secure additional airlifts through US Airways and Air Tran. "Canada also continues to grow," Lynch said.
The JTB, Lynch said, is also looking to tap into the Russian market in a significant way now that the way is being cleared for more airlift from out of that region.
This year's JAPEX, which concludes tomorrow, includes 136 representatives from 98 buyer companies along with 248 participants from 91 supplier companies.
The three-day event gives Jamaican properties and attractions a chance to promote their products to travel agents, tour operators, wholesalers and trade media from the Americas and Europe.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz1YWnVhuo7
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