Stayover tourist arrivals in Jamaica this year are up 2.2 percent, according to the country’s Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook.
That number covered the winter tourist season from Dec. 15 to April 30.
That is roughly in line with the average results of the Caribbean (excepting Cuba) in the last year, and represented a total of 773, 110.
While tourism arrivals from the United States have shown strong growth of 5.9 percent, Canadian stopover arrivals are down by 11.6 percent.
“The Jamaica Tourist Board will be doing a lot of work in Canada,” Pennicook said at the recent JHTA annual general meeting in Ocho Rios.
Stayover arrivals lagged cruise visits, however; the country reported 745,220 cruise passenger arrivals in the winter tourist season.
Pennicook said the country’s tourism officials had been looking to new markets, particularly the developing world.
“We have identified three regions in terms of emerging markets which will help us to meet our targets. They are Latin America, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Asia,” he said.
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Showing posts with label Paul Pennicook. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Pennicook. Show all posts
Wednesday, 29 June 2016
Wednesday, 1 June 2016
JAMAICA: Jamaica Lures Japanese Tourists
Bartlett left the island on Sunday May 29 and returns on Monday June 6, a release from the ministry reported Monday.
“Two decades ago Jamaica received upwards of 20,000 Japanese visitors per annum but has since declined to roughly 2,000 per annum, due in part to a long economic slowdown in Japan and other factors,” Bartlett said
“However, with the world’s fourth largest economy and a population of over 127 million, still humming along and over 17 million people travelling overseas every year, I believe we have an opportunity to re-engage Japan on a more sustained basis and increase visitor traffic to Jamaica,” he added.
The release said that Bartlett will meet with representatives from various airlines and prospective investors at a reception being hosted in his honour by Jamaican Ambassador to Japan Ricardo Allicock.
Bartlett will also have a meeting with chairman of the Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC) to discuss a proposed coffee festival in Jamaica and related tourism activities.
UCC manages coffee plantations on the Blue Mountains.
Monday, 11 January 2016
JAMAICA: Good Developments In Tourism All Round
When the global economic crisis took its awful toll a few years ago, tourism was among the major cornerstones as Jamaica somehow kept its head above water.
As the economy slowly stabilises and there are cautious projections of sustainable economic growth in the years to come, a robust and thriving tourism sector will be critical.
Against that backdrop, this newspaper notes with pleasure word from Director of Tourism Mr Paul Pennicook that the visitor arrival figures last year were encouraging and are likely to be even better in 2016.
According to Mr Pennicook, stopover arrivals grew by two per cent (roughly 50,000 more visitors than in 2014) and is expected to increase by four per cent in 2016.
The ongoing rapid expansion of hotel rooms is obviously a major contributor to Jamaica’s sustained tourism growth. Mr Pennicook tells us that, this winter, approximately 1,200 additional rooms (new and refurbished) have been opened. And many more are projected in the months and years to come.
Just to underline this point regarding growth in tourism and its value, the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ) Social and Economic Survey for 2014 said visitor arrivals (both stopover and cruise ship) increased by seven per cent to 3.5 million people relative to 2013.
Provisional visitor expenditure was US$2.235 billion, 5.8 per cent more than in 2013, according to the PIOJ. Stopover visitors spent more than US$2.111 billion and cruise passengers spent over US$123 million.
In the hotel and restaurant sector of the tourism industry 80,500 people were said to be employed in 2014, up from 75,750 in 2013.
Those directly involved in Jamaica’s tourism, including investors and workers, know from hard experience that success can only be sustained if there is no let up in the quest to keep visitors happy and to find new and innovative ways to attract even more visitors.
For that reason this newspaper applauds the initiative of Sandals Resorts International to partner with the world famous Marley clan for what is being described as a “colossal” marketing campaign to promote the Sandals experience and, by extension, Jamaica’s tourism.
As we understand it, the campaign dubbed ‘No Worry’ will involve Mr Skip Marley, grandson of the late Mr Bob Marley, at the centre of a global advertising effort using the Marley classic Three Little Birds.
We are struck by the description of the partnership by Mr Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts, as the bringing together of “two iconic relationships (Marley and Sandals)”. Forgive us if we sound unduly nationalistic, but this newspaper is proud that the relationship is entirely Jamaican.
We take pleasure from the comment by Sandals Chairman Mr Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart that “it’s time now to go back to our Jamaican roots and the flavour of the marketing and advertising…”
Sandals, we are happy to say, is continuing to pave a progressive path for Jamaica’s tourism.
As the economy slowly stabilises and there are cautious projections of sustainable economic growth in the years to come, a robust and thriving tourism sector will be critical.
Against that backdrop, this newspaper notes with pleasure word from Director of Tourism Mr Paul Pennicook that the visitor arrival figures last year were encouraging and are likely to be even better in 2016.
According to Mr Pennicook, stopover arrivals grew by two per cent (roughly 50,000 more visitors than in 2014) and is expected to increase by four per cent in 2016.
The ongoing rapid expansion of hotel rooms is obviously a major contributor to Jamaica’s sustained tourism growth. Mr Pennicook tells us that, this winter, approximately 1,200 additional rooms (new and refurbished) have been opened. And many more are projected in the months and years to come.
Just to underline this point regarding growth in tourism and its value, the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ) Social and Economic Survey for 2014 said visitor arrivals (both stopover and cruise ship) increased by seven per cent to 3.5 million people relative to 2013.
Provisional visitor expenditure was US$2.235 billion, 5.8 per cent more than in 2013, according to the PIOJ. Stopover visitors spent more than US$2.111 billion and cruise passengers spent over US$123 million.
In the hotel and restaurant sector of the tourism industry 80,500 people were said to be employed in 2014, up from 75,750 in 2013.
Those directly involved in Jamaica’s tourism, including investors and workers, know from hard experience that success can only be sustained if there is no let up in the quest to keep visitors happy and to find new and innovative ways to attract even more visitors.
For that reason this newspaper applauds the initiative of Sandals Resorts International to partner with the world famous Marley clan for what is being described as a “colossal” marketing campaign to promote the Sandals experience and, by extension, Jamaica’s tourism.
As we understand it, the campaign dubbed ‘No Worry’ will involve Mr Skip Marley, grandson of the late Mr Bob Marley, at the centre of a global advertising effort using the Marley classic Three Little Birds.
We are struck by the description of the partnership by Mr Adam Stewart, CEO of Sandals Resorts, as the bringing together of “two iconic relationships (Marley and Sandals)”. Forgive us if we sound unduly nationalistic, but this newspaper is proud that the relationship is entirely Jamaican.
We take pleasure from the comment by Sandals Chairman Mr Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart that “it’s time now to go back to our Jamaican roots and the flavour of the marketing and advertising…”
Sandals, we are happy to say, is continuing to pave a progressive path for Jamaica’s tourism.
Sunday, 18 October 2015
JAMAICA: Cuba's Tourism Should Present Opportunities, Says Director of Tourism
Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook, says the opening up of Cuba as a tourist destination should provide opportunities for the sector in Jamaica.
Addressing a media breakfast as part of the 25th staging of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) Tourism Trade Show, at the Hilton Resort in St James today, Pennicook said recent developments in Cuba should be seen as marketing opportunities for Jamaica.
“We will be able to work closely with Cuba and literally sell two wonderful products to the tourism industry worldwide. We happen to be two tourism destinations with a very strong cultural heritage. We have our own strengths in other areas and the fact is when we can market the destinations as one…it’s twice the fun,” Pennicook said.
He pointed out that with Cuba being the largest Spanish-speaking island in the Caribbean and Jamaica the largest English-speaking island in the region, both destinations have a lot to offer.
Dispelling the notion that Cuba poses a direct threat to the viability of Jamaica’s tourist industry, Pennicook said there has always been competition between the countries, but Jamaica plans to work harder to ensure that the source markets are protected.
“We intend to step up our marketing in those markets where we are already competing to ensure that we not only continue to get business, but increase our share from those markets,” he said.
As it relates to air links between Jamaica and Cuba, Pennicook said at present there is none, but discussions are taking place with a number of airlines, with a view to getting more flights between Cuba and Jamaica.
Meanwhile, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig, said the Association has embraced the opportunities that Cuba brings now as a major player in the industry.
She pointed out that Jamaica plans to explore multi-destination marketing with Cuba, as obtains in other parts of the world.
“The Jamaica-Cuba combination is going to be a really great selling point. We see it as an absolute opportunity to market and put attention on the Western Caribbean in a way it has never been done before,” Madden-Greig said.
Addressing a media breakfast as part of the 25th staging of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) Tourism Trade Show, at the Hilton Resort in St James today, Pennicook said recent developments in Cuba should be seen as marketing opportunities for Jamaica.
“We will be able to work closely with Cuba and literally sell two wonderful products to the tourism industry worldwide. We happen to be two tourism destinations with a very strong cultural heritage. We have our own strengths in other areas and the fact is when we can market the destinations as one…it’s twice the fun,” Pennicook said.
He pointed out that with Cuba being the largest Spanish-speaking island in the Caribbean and Jamaica the largest English-speaking island in the region, both destinations have a lot to offer.
Dispelling the notion that Cuba poses a direct threat to the viability of Jamaica’s tourist industry, Pennicook said there has always been competition between the countries, but Jamaica plans to work harder to ensure that the source markets are protected.
“We intend to step up our marketing in those markets where we are already competing to ensure that we not only continue to get business, but increase our share from those markets,” he said.
As it relates to air links between Jamaica and Cuba, Pennicook said at present there is none, but discussions are taking place with a number of airlines, with a view to getting more flights between Cuba and Jamaica.
Meanwhile, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Nicola Madden-Greig, said the Association has embraced the opportunities that Cuba brings now as a major player in the industry.
She pointed out that Jamaica plans to explore multi-destination marketing with Cuba, as obtains in other parts of the world.
“The Jamaica-Cuba combination is going to be a really great selling point. We see it as an absolute opportunity to market and put attention on the Western Caribbean in a way it has never been done before,” Madden-Greig said.
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