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Amatterra Jamaica inks deal with Marriott International for first Marriott all-inclusive resort in Jamaica

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The architects of Jamaica’s largest integrated tourism real estate development, the Keith and Paula Russell led Amaterra Jamaica Group, have entered into a hotel management operator agreement with award-winning global travel company, Marriott International.

The official signing took place this evening in Montego Bay, Jamaica in the presence of Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Industry Minister, Audley Shaw, JAMPRO President Diane Edwards and Jampro Board Directors Delano Seiveright and Ian Levy.

Responding to consumers’ growing desire around the world for premium, worry-free vacations, Marriott International announced in August that it is launching an all-inclusive platform to serve this increasingly popular vacation segment. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, Marriott International’s portfolio currently encompasses more than 7,200 properties under 30 leading brands spanning 134 countries and territories.

The company plans to build its new platform by leveraging seven of its established full-service and luxury brands.

In partnering with Amaterra Jamaica Limited, Marriott will further expand its all-inclusive portfolio in popular, leisure destinations worldwide and bring the first Marriott Hotels branded all-inclusive property to Jamaica, providing its 137 million Marriott Bonvoy members with the opportunity to enjoy a new vacation option in the popular destination.

Amaterra’s 800-room flagship development will be located 25 miles east of Montego Bay airport on the island’s north coast and is set on two miles of white sand beach. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2020 and completed in 2022.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, noted that the development forms a key part of the, “Largest expansion of hotel room stock in Jamaica’s history representing the most powerful week in investment developments for the tourism industry, with the Marriot’s entry being a major step in the right direction.” Bartlett also listed an array of initiatives already bearing fruit in deepening linkages, broadening human capital development for tourism workers and spreading the benefits of tourism further afield.

Commenting on the partnership with Marriott International, Amaterra Group, Chairman Keith Russell noted, “The Amaterra Group is excited to welcome Marriott International as our Hotel Management Operator. The Marriott brand is internationally renowned and well respected and we couldn’t be happier to have them on board and be one of their first all-inclusive properties globally. This is a great step not only for Amaterra but also the Jamaican tourism industry and we look forward to partnering with Marriott’s other iconic brands as we go forward.”

Laurent de Kousemaeker, Chief Development Officer for Marriott International in the Caribbean and Latin America remarked, “We are thrilled to partner with Amaterra on this exciting project. Jamaica is a key destination for our new All-Inclusive brand extensions. We are pleased to start off with a flagship Marriott All-Inclusive resort project and confident that Amaterra has the vision to bring it to life on the island.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Jamaica and Panama to establish multi-destination arrangement, says Minister Bartlett

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that Jamaica and the Republic of Panama is set to establish a multi destination arrangement, as part of efforts to strengthen tourism relations between both countries.

This announcement follows discussions with Minister of Tourism for Panama, His Excellency Ivan Alfaro, and Minister Bartlett at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London yesterday.

“Multi destination tourism is a strategy to increase the product offerings of the respective destinations but more so to enable better air connectivity between markets particularly, for long haul destinations. With this multi destination arrangement, Panama will become a hub for long haul flights and Emirates and Air China are among the two targeted carriers,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Jamaica Tourist Board and the Panamanian Tourism Authority will meet to conclude details of the arrangement by January 2020 for signing during FITUR in Spain.

“The second area of collaboration will be to explore how we can better leverage the Jamaican Diaspora that has contributed to the cultural enrichment of Panama.

The third and final area of collaboration will be resilience building in the region, which will include the establishment of a satellite Global Resilience and Crisis Management Centre at an agreed university in Panama,” added Minister Bartlett.

Jamaica has had diplomatic relations with Panama since 1966. Currently, COPA Airlines, which is the flag carrier of Panama, operates eleven (11) flights weekly into Jamaica.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB and features many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals.

Minister Bartlett, who is participating in WTM as part of efforts to increase outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets, will return to the island on November 8.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Jamaica’s Manual on Tourism Ethics hailed by international community

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Jamaica’s Manual on Tourism Ethics scheduled to be released at the end of the year, has been hailed as innovative and timely by the intentional tourism community. The manual forms part of the outcomes of the island wide security audit of hotels and attractions undertaken earlier this year.

“The issue of safety and security remains a critical component of any destination’s assurance to visitors. Jamaica, in its commitment to ensuring safety and security for all visitors and locals alike, reviewed security arrangements of all hotels and attractions with a view to creating a new architecture and the manual of tourism ethics will guide that,” said Minister Bartlett.

Minister Bartlett commissioned the security audit to ensure that the destination remains safe, secure and seamless for visitors and locals alike. The audit was carried out by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) with support from well-known international security expert Dr. Peter Tarlow.

Minister Bartlett highlighted the manual during his presentation yesterday as a key panellist on the World Travel Market (WTM) discussion on ‘Taking responsibility for Safety and Security’. Other panellists included German Porras, former Secretary of Tourism for Spain; John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs of Sri Lanka, Sethembiso Dlamini, COO and Acting CEO at South African Tourism; and Nikki White, Director of Destinations and Sustainability at ABTA.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB and features many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals.

Minister Bartlett added that, “This will be a first of its kind manual that will help to guide security arrangements for the region. It will be a game changer in the area of safety and security in the industry.”

Whilst at WTM, Minister Bartlett will use the opportunity to increase in outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets.

Minister Bartlett is expected to return to the island on November 8, 2019.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Jamaica Tourism Minister Bartlett: “Japan among the most resilient nations in the world”

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That remark was made by Honorable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Jamaica Tourism, in his capacity as founder of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC) at the University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, during his official visit, today, to Ichihara (one of the affected areas), Chiba, Japan, based on their unprecedented recovery system after being struck by one of the worst Typhoons, No. 19 – Hagibis – in their nation’s recent history. The Minister conveyed, at the same time, Jamaica’s condolences to the City Mayor, Mr. Joji Koide, reaffirmed the nation’s solidarity to Japan and engaged in discussion on cooperation related to disaster management approaches and strategies given Japan’s leading role in their implementation and parallel importance to the GTRCMC.

The Mayor, along with his team of senior level officials, gave the Tourism Minister a comprehensive tour of the affected areas, showcasing elements of the extraordinary relief operations undertaken and the cutting-edge technologies utilized (including drones and robots). Chief among these was a one of a kind, multi-purpose, Fire Truck (given the name Scrum Force and launched in 2019) with state-of-the-art rescue and relief equipment and facilities, as well as surveillance software integrated with drone technology and capacity, allowing for more expansive coverage, monitoring and response at unprecedented speeds.

Minister Bartlett commended the Mayor and his team for the remarkable recovery achieved, given the level of damage experienced, and signaled the high interest of Jamaica to deepen cooperation on the best practices observed in disaster mitigation and relief operations. The results of these practices, such as its live-saving results, prompted the Minister to state “that they signaled the possibility of the addition of heightened value to the evolving body of study surrounding the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC).”

The Tourism Minister called on the Mayor to not only document his Town’s highly-effective recovery and resilience mechanism, but to also consider paying a visit to Jamaica, or one of his representatives, to share his Town’s best practices on disaster risk reduction and management with the GTRCMC, in the spirit of deepened cooperation and friendship between Jamaica and Japan.

The Minister further noted that “Japan’s record of resilience in bouncing back quickly and building back better from a series of disruptions, notably of which the 2011 Earthquake and Fires and other mega Typhoons including the latest No19 Hagibis, were deserving of emulation and greater international recognition.”

The Minister further indicated that “the world has much to learn from Japan in this regard.” This he also noted “would further advance discussions related to partnership with Japan, in relation to Jamaica’s desire to have a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the University of the West Indies and the International University of Japan, on resilience practices  in keeping with the objectives of the GTRCMC.”

Minister Bartlett also noted, with keen interest, the highly technologically-advanced nature of the special Fire Truck and suggested that such a vehicle would present significant life-saving potential for other Caribbean islands focused on building resilience against natural disasters, a core area of focus of the GTRCMC.

In registering his deep appreciation for the Minister’s and Jamaica’s solidarity with Ichihara and the wider Japanese society, the Mayor welcomed the opportunity for greater cooperation on disaster risk reduction and management, given his Town’s similar focus. The Mayor also indicated his interest in having further dialogue with the Minister on potential partnership and participation in the GTRCMC.

The meeting ended with the exchange of gifts between the Minister and the Mayor and a commitment to closer engagement including through the Embassy of Jamaica in Tokyo, Japan.

Among the many officers assembled by Mayor Koide, were the following: Mr. Katsunori Koyanagi, Fire Chief; Mr. Shoji Amano, Shizu Fire Department Chief; Mr.  Kenji Akiba, Manager, Secretarial Division; Mr. Shigemitsu Sakuma, Manager, Crisis Management Division; Mr. Takayuki Igarashi, Manager, Human Rights and International Exchanges Division; and Mr.  Kenji Akiba, Manager, Secretarial Division.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Minister Bartlett applauds winners of Jamaica Tourist Board’s Annual Awards at Jamaica Travel Market

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Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has applauded the eight tour operators who won big at the Jamaica Tourist Board’s annual awards at the Jamaica Travel Market gala dinner yesterday.

The awards recognise the UK and Nordic tour operators and agencies that have achieved the largest growth in room night production to Jamaica during 2018 and were presented by Minister Bartlett.

“These tour operators are the faces and voices that help to sell destination Jamaica in this our third largest source market. Their consistent work through marketing the island has ensured that Jamaica remains top of mind as a potential vacation spot,” said Minister Bartlett.

Winners for the largest business growth during 2018 were:

UK Tour Operator – British Airways Holidays
UK Travel Agency/Tour Operator – Lotus / Dial A Flight
UK Online Tour Operator – Love Holidays
UK Charter Tour Operator – TUI UK
Nordic Tour Operator – Ving
UK Long Haul Specialist Tour Operator – Kenwood Travel
UK Caribbean Specialist Travel Company – Sackville Travel
‘Your Choice Award’ – Favourite UK Tour Operator – Virgin Holidays (Scott Edwards)

Minister Bartlett added that, “We gladly acknowledge our dedicated industry partners who have been increasing business to Jamaica and this year we have seen a record number of UK visitors travelling to Jamaica.”

In addition, to the JTB’s annual awards, Jamaican hoteliers and tourism companies voted for their favourite UK tour operator in the Jamaica Tourism Partners ‘Your Choice’ award category. On the night, to raise money for Jamaica Tourist Board’s chosen charity partner, the Sandals Foundation, one lucky winner walked away with holiday to Jamaica courtesy of Sandals and British Airways.

Minister Bartlett is accompanied by Mr. Donovan White, Director of Tourism and will return to the island on September 30, 2019.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944