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HospitalityJamaicaThe Gleaner

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018 KEEPING YOU CONNECTED TO THE BUSINESS OF TOURISM

Tourist Season EditionTourist Season Edition

SPICY HILL BASIC SCHOOL GETSROYAL TREAT FROM ROYALTON

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FROM RUSTIC TO COSMETIC –OCHO RIOS FISHING VILLAGE

SANGSTER INTERNATIONALNEARS FIVE MILLIONTH MARK

Janet SilveraHospitality Jamaica Coordinator

JAMAICA’S SANGSTER Inter-national Airport (SIA) has postedgrowth of 6.07 per cent between

January and November 2018, com-pared to the same period in 2017.

Year to date (YTD), the MBJAirports Limited-operated facilityhas processed a total of 4,095,703passengers in the last 11 months.

Chief executive officer of MBJ,Dr Rafael Echevarne, in responseto questions from HospitalityJamaica, said he was excited to beapproaching the five millionpassengers mark, half way into their30-year concession agreement withthe Government of Jamaica.

According to him, “This has beena very exciting year for MBJ as wecelebrate our 15th anniversary. We’reopening a new chapter in thedevelopment of the airport. It has comeof age as we approach the five millionpassenger mark. This means important

developments in terms of growth of theinfrastructure, use of technology to gainefficiencies and create a seamlessoperation to ensure our usersexperience the best level of service.”

Traffic growth for the period wasimpacted by lower average loadfactors among some carriers, as wellas Caribbean Airlines’ drasticreduction in service to Ft Laud-erdale from one daily to twoweekly, this route, MBJ said, will bediscontinued by the airline as atJanuary 8, 2019.

Notwithstanding, MBJ welcomedNordwind Airlines (Pegas Fly)fortnightly service from Moscow,Russia on October 26, 2018 andFrontier Airlines (2) weeklyRaleigh, North Carolina onNovember 17.

Toronto, Canada is the top per-forming route to date. However,the airport’s largest source marketremains the United States withsome 69 per cent share of the pie.

Top 10 Routes –Performance (YTD)

Fort Lauderdale – Southwest,Jetblue

Baltimore Washington Interna-tional-Southwest increased to twodaily, Spirit – new four weekly

American Airlines remains thenumber one carrier into the island,with Southwest and Deltafollowing closely behind.

Top 10 Airlines –Market Share (YTD)

The outlook for the airport ispromising with Swoop Airlineshaving two weekly flights out ofHamilton, Ontario, as of Decem-ber 16; Spirit Airlines will addthree weekly flights out of Detroitas of December 20 and fourweekly out of Orlando startingFebruary 28, 2019.

Sunwing Airlines will introducea weekly Buffalo-Detroit as atJanuary 21, 2019 on behalf ofVacation Express; SouthwestAirlines will add a schedule StLouis as at March 1, 2019;Thomas Cook Airlines hasannounced a weekly Manchesterflight for May 2019 and LATAMAirlines will fly into the MontegoBay airport three times weeklyfrom Lima, Peru, as of July 1, 2019.

2 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

Future food court at the Sangster International AirportA great yearFOR MBJ!

Duty Free Retail at Sangster

MBJ HAS spent US$26 million onworks to resurface the taxiways,shoulders and ramps at SIA usingconcrete rather than asphalt toensure greater durability. Thatwork is almost complete, revealedSharon Hislop, manager,commercial business developmentand marketing.

Their chiller system upgrade hasbeen completed and is fullyoperational; renovation is beingdone on the check-in areas tomodernise the space, andscheduled for completion by endof year. Replacing existing flooringand ceilings are among the thingsbeing done, while the expansionand remodelling of the twocurrent public restrooms willcommence thereafter.

Hislop pointed out that 20 newkiosks were recently commissionedfor the efficient and smooth

processing of arriving passengers,increasing the total kiosks to 30.There are 50 self-service kiosks ondepartures and passengers can alsocheck in using their smart phonesand other devices.

“SIA intends to create, ‘The IrieAirport Experience’. MBJ aims tobecome a destination in itself bydeveloping products and servicesthat enhance the airport experi-ence that passengers look forwardto with professional, fast, attentive,friendly service from the staff of allconcessions and agencies,” saysHislop.

The airport operator has gone asfar as selecting one of the worlds’sleading engineering firms in con-sortium with seven local firms toprovide architectural, interiordesign and engineering servicesfor the terminal expansion.

The objective of the terminalexpansion project is to developthe airport terminal into amodern, functional and efficientinternational facility that willgreatly enhance the experiencefor both passengers and the air-port community, and meet growingdemands based on forecasted

growth in passenger movement upto 2025, said Hislop.

MBJ, she said, is focusing oninfrastructure improvements thatleverage the latest technologywhile improving the experiencefor passengers by transformingSIA into a reference for efficiencyand service while portraying a

sense of place that incorporateslocal cultural elements into amodern design.

The SIA connects Jamaica to morethan 60 international destinationsand is served by 30 airlines andgrowing.

[email protected]

Developments atSangster InternationalAirport, operated byMBJ Airports Limited

HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 3WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

Redesigned Check-in area (departures)

Paul H. WilliamsHospitality Jamaica Writer

WHEN HOSPITALITYJamaica visited Ocho Rios,St Ann, last week Wednes-

day, all the signs of a potentially busytourist season were all around.

Two massive cruise ships were inport. Transport operators and otherservice providers were out in their num-bers, hoping to get some of the work.

The main street leading into thetown centre was overrun withtourists walking to and from theirships. Some were seen heading intoshops. The Taj Mahal and IslandVillage shopping complexes wereparticularly busy. There was atrickling of guests in the new OchoRios Fishing Village. A popular des-tination seemed to be MysticMountain, located just up the roadfrom the port.

There was music coming frombars and eateries. The sounds ofsteel pans chimed from a shop ter-race on Main Street. A lone saxo-phonist jazzed things up on thedeck of Island Village. US dollarswere in his box at his feet.

A young and versatile drummerfrom the tourist Mecca of MontegoBay made people dance and jig tothe hypnotic sounds coming fromhis drums. He said he was in Ochieto make his ‘bread’. A jelly coconutvendor was doing good business at$300 per coconut.

Yet, for some shop owners,business was not good. Bad, theysaid. Despite the two cruise ships

in port, they said that they werenot benefitting from the influx oftourists. And it was not just onthat particular day. They said thatmany cruise tourists are not shop-pers, but are, in fact, sightseers.They look, but do not buy.

Some say it is that not that salesare nil but that they are very slow.A female owner looked at herwatch while she was speaking withHospitality Jamaica, and said thatit was now 12 o’clock and she hadnot made even a dollar. The shipswere in port from early morning todepart late afternoon.

BIASED TREATMENT

Another common complaintfrom small-business people is thatsome transport operators are givingpreferential treatments to the big-ger businesses that can give themmore ‘commission’. They saythatthey cannot afford the percent-age that the transport operators aredemanding from them, so they sitand watch the vehicles withtourists go to places that can affordto pay the operators more.

Despite the mixed fortunes,tourism stakeholders are waiting forthe 2018 winter tourist season tokick off this weekend. In speakingwith Vana Taylor, president of theSt Ann Chamber of Commerceand the fourth vice-president ofthe Jamaica Hotel and TouristAssociation, about the prospectsfor the upcoming season for OchoRios, she said that they were ‘verygood’, and that she was expecting a

‘bumper season’, as always, sinceOcho Rios had all the attractionsand all types of rooms. She alsomentioned the frequency of cruise-ship arrivals, “even on Sundays”.

In responding to the concerns ofthe small-business people aboutbeing bypassed, she said that aresponse to that is to develop SevilleHeritage Park into a heritageattraction where all the artists andartisans are housed in one place. Inthis way, they would not be locatedall over the place and have to payoperators to take tourists to them.This idea she is passionate aboutand hopes the Government listens.


The parking lot of the Taj Mahal shopping complex in Ocho Rios was full of tour buses onWednesday, December 5.

Carnival Sensation was one of two cruise ships that docked inOcho Rios, St Ann, on Wednesday, December 5.

Painter Michael Clarke says heseldom benefits from the influxof cruise ship passengers toOcho Rios.

VISITORSGALORE,but spending low

People relaxing on the beach at Margaritaville in Ocho Rios, StAnn, on Wednesday, December 5.

PRESIDENT OF the Negril Enter-tainment Association (NEA) RyanMorrison says that while operatorsof establishments such as hoteliersand food entities in Negril arelooking towards profiting from afruitful winter tourist season,party promoters are singing adifferent tune.

According to Morrison, severalloopholes in the Noise AbatementAct have put Negril-based partypromoters at a stark disadvantagehaving their events being shutdown even before they haverecouped monies expended, due toincessant complaints, in manycases, from neighbours.

He said that the latest party tobe closed down was the very popu-lar annual event Different Strokes,following repeated complaints tothe Negril police about noisepollution.

“The person who called thepolice called a total of 49 times.The person said they were going tocall every four minutes until it shutoff,” Morrison said.

“Some people don’t want thenoise; some people want the noise.The Government has to do some-thing. The law does not protect thepromoters. Once they hear it anddeem it a nuisance, they can getyou shut off. Even if it is a permitted

event, as long as I am hearing you,and I deem it to be a nuisance, I cancall the police,” he explained.

Morrison says that his organisa-tion plans to resume the pursuitof the establishment of an enter-tainment zone for Negril, whichwould solve the problem. He saidthat an area near the SouthNegril River was identified morethan a year ago for the zone buthad fizzled as the NEA had notpersisted with that cause.

He said that due to the lack ofan entertainment zone, parties inNegril are held at venues that arein the proximity of hotels,dwelling houses, and guest houses,

and so the sounds are highlyaudible to neighbours.

‘Under the Noise Abatement Act,no person shall on any private

premises or in any public place at anytime of day or night operate anydevice for the amplification of soundin such a manner that it is audible

beyond 100 metres from the source ofthe sound and is reasonable capableof causing annoyance to persons inthe vicinity.’


HOTELIERS AND othertourism-related businessoperators in Negril say that

they are upbeat about the prospectsfor what seems poised to be abumper winter tourist season forthe resort town.

“The prospects look good. So far,most of my fellow hoteliers arereporting good bookings all the wayup until March, so as long as wedon’t have any major upset, weshould enjoy a good winter season,”operator of the Charela Inn andPresident of the Negril Chamber ofCommerce Daniel Grizzle toldHospitality Jamaica.

According to Grizzle, many ofthe property owners have refur-bished their properties, offering

fresh-looking products for the season.Richard Wallace, operator of the

Boardwalk Village, near RutlandPoint in the town, had similar sen-timents. For him, the projections,so far, are good news as the townrecently came out of a very slowperiod – September and October.

“We are very optimistic aboutthe winter season, hoping that thenumbers will be as great as lastyear,” Wallace stated, adding thatindications from his colleaguehoteliers were positive.

“We (Boardwalk) have goodbookings because there are someperiods when we are full, and so weare grateful for that. Like towardsthe Christmas time, we are fullybooked, and then in Februaryagain. we are booked, so we arehappy for what’s going on, and wejust hope that it continues,” Wal-

lace added.According to Jamaica Tourist

Board statistics, in 2015, Negril solda total of 1,190,791 room nights.This declined to 1,164,881 in 2016.Last year, the figure climbed to arecord 1,217,383. Negril is the thirdlargest resort area after MontegoBay and Ocho Rios.

Owner of the Negril Tree House,Gail Jackson also shared the sametype of optimism as her colleagues,noting to Hospitality Jamaica thatthe strip of beach parallel to herhotel had replenished itself afterexperiencing some amount of erosion.

Negril Tree House is located onthe popular seven-mile white-sand beach.

“The beach has come back. Thebeach looks amazing! It is clean.The repeat guests are really comingout to small hotels, and we are very

pleased with that,” she said.“Bookings are looking fantastic! I

can speak for myself because I haveinvested a lot in renovations. And wehave a lot of the boxes checked, wherepeople feel comfortable and we also dosome AirBnb bookings,” she added.

On the food and entertainmentside, Luddy Saams, proprietor of theDrifters Bar on the Norman ManleyBoulevard, said that while he wasexcited that things were shaping upwonderfully for members in theaccommodation sector, the visitorsfrom whom he gets a lot of customersupport have not started to maketheir way to the island as yet.

“So far, they are drifting in. Andof course, we rely on a lot ofreturnees and people that spendtheir winter months here, and theyare not here yet.”

However, so far, he is seeing a lot

of new faces that have drifted in.“They are first-time visitors, andthat is looking pretty positive,” hesaid, adding that the demographicsof the visitors were mixed.

[email protected]


Negril small hoteliers confidentabout the winter tourist season

Daniel Grizzle

Hoteliers upbeat and party promoters fearful

Ryan Morrison


THE MANY negatives associatedwith casino gambling, includingmoney laundering, have been listedby Tourism Minister EdmundBartlett as reasons why theGovernment has taken its time aboutintroducing the activity in Jamaica.

According to Bartlett, being ableto understand the negatives isbeing able to better manage thebenefits that will flow from gaming.

The minister was speaking lastFriday as he addressed a seminartitled ‘Hospitality Industry andCasino Operator’s Guide toManaging US Liability Issues fromthe Caribbean’, at SandalsMontego Bay.

While Bartlett indicated thatJamaica’s first casino gaming facilitywill be opened by early 2020, hedid not offer details. He also con-ceded that casino gaming wouldadd a “very lucrative element” tothe tourism product, with thepotential to add two per cent to thecountry’s gross domestic product.

Despite its revenue potential,Bartlett warned that “any activitythat is so driven by the economicreturn brings with it, by its verynature, many sides”.

The minister pointed to thelegal, legislative and policy issuesthat must be put in place to man-age casino gaming, to ensure that itfunctions within the ambit of thelaw; that ‘fairness, honesty andintegrity are maintained.’

Bartlett also noted that certainsocial practices develop from casi-no gaming because of the wealththat flows from it. As such, he said,“rules of engagement have to beestablished within the social struc-ture”. He said attention must alsobe paid to the psychological impactof gaming because of its addictivenature, as well as to the possiblenegative effects on family life.

The tourism minister admittedthat Jamaica has not fullyembraced casino gaming for, amongother things, religious reasons.

He said, “We have shied awayfrom gaming as a structured path ofthe tourism experience for a longtime for a number of reasons. Oneof which has been the experiencesthat we have looked at in other

places and we have seen some ofthe attendant negatives, and wequestion very much whether or not

we would be able ourselves to man-age and be able to deal with thenegative impact of it.”

David JessopHospitality Jamaica Writer

OVER THE last few weeks,several Caribbeanresearchers and academics

have raised with me the chaoticstate of Caribbean tourism statisticsand tourism data.

The issue arose because oneresearcher producing an importantstudy for a major governmentreviewing its overall developmentstrategy towards the region,contacted me and others to saythat they had been unable to accessany statistics from the mainregional bodies that hold them.

Then when the individualconcerned did manage to do so bya roundabout route, theyrecognised not just theinconsistencies, but the absence, inseveral cases, of any explanation asto why significant variations wereoccurring year-on-year.

What emerged from this andsubsequent exchanges with othersabout Caribbean tourism data weretwo separate but related trends.

The first was that the paucity ofreliable Caribbean-generatedinformation in a significant numberof nations meant that objectivedecision-making by governments or

the private sector on tourism-relatedissues, such as competitiveness,taxation, marketing, and investment,was likely to be unreliable.

The second was that externaldevelopment agencies, includingbodies involved in macro-economic analysis of overallCaribbean economic performance,are developing partly out offrustration new ways to accumu-late and analyse Caribbean datafor regional and international use.

What was striking was evidencethat some nations – not Jamaica –were variously subjecting publication

to lengthy bureaucratic scrutiny,handing responsibility to independ-ent agencies, were publishing fig-ures in hard-to-access formats, orwere simply avoiding publication atall for reasons of maladministrationor political expediency. The situationwas, one correspondent noted, evenworse when it came to reliableexpenditure data.

POOR PERFORMANCE

These are matters of someimportance, as there are indicationsthat the region’s tourism sector maybe performing less well than recentheadlines suggest. This month, forexample, the World TourismBarometer, produced by the UN’sWorld Tourism Organisation,indicated that overall arrivals intothe Caribbean have so far this yearfallen by eight per cent.

All of this may be about tochange. The growing availability ofbig data and more sophisticatedalgorithms now make it possible toproduce indicators in much shorterperiods of time using consistentinformation from multiple non-Caribbean data sources.

Since 2015, the InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF) has beenproducing ‘A Week on the Beach’largely for internal purposes. This is

an index of the nominal cost of aone-week beach holiday in 18 smalland large Caribbean destinations.

Inspired by the ‘Big Mac Index’,it measures the price of a basket oftypical expenditures during a beachholiday based on three-star hotels,taxi fares, beverages, and meals, butdoes not include air travel costs.Despite some shortcomings, thefigures demonstrate that the nominalcost of an average, one-week beachholiday in the Caribbean isconsistently higher than on averageelsewhere in the world.

The importance of this and itspolicy implications emerged in arecent webcast, ‘A Week on theBeach’, led by the Trinidadianeconomist Marla Dukharan.

What, in outline, this revealedwas that on average Caribbeanthree-star hotel costs more than inalmost all other beach destinations;the Caribbean is 30 to 50 per centmore expensive than CentralAmerica and Mexico; that the AsiaPacific region was still the cheapestregion in the world; the averagecost of a week in Cuba iscomparable to Central Americaand significantly lower than inother sample Caribbean countries;

the number of flights rather thanairlines positively impact oncompetitiveness; the number ofrooms a destination has may not besignificant; and the overall findingswere largely consistent over thefour-year period surveyed.

The broadcast, which can beseen on YouTube, indicated that ata staff level, the IMF is nowworking towards developing a moresophisticated understanding oftourism in ways that will eventuallyallow the findings to be built intofuture economic models. Toachieve this, they intend makingmore use of ‘big data’, and are nowteaming up with TripAdvisor andothers in the industry to utilisetheir statistics and research tosupport the development of a moresophisticated analytic process.

The exercise still hasshortcomings. For example, aseparate methodology is required tovalue the competitiveness of all-inclusive hotels and cruise ships; anapproach is required that canquantify less tangible impacts suchas crime; and separate modelling isrequired to analyse the impact onarrivals of government taxes onaviation.

This new big data-led approachis welcome, particularly if it enablesthe region and those beyond tounderstand what is reallyhappening to Caribbean tourism,the likely impact of budgetarydecisions, and how the industryrelates to wider Caribbeaneconomic performance.


THE BUSINESS OF TOURISM

Big data’s future role in helpingunderstand C’bean tourism

DAVID JESSOP

Bartlett notes negatives of casinogaming despite potential

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett as he opens a seminar on‘Hospitality Industry and Casino Operator’s Guide to ManagingUS Liability Issues from the Caribbean’, at Sandals MontegoBay on Friday, December 7. CONTRIBUTED

ADVERTISEMENT HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 7WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

THEIR UNLEASHED excitementand exuberant laughter were enoughevidence that the children of SpicyHill Basic School were more thanhappy for the visit of the group ofRoyalton staff, who fêted them withgifts and lunch.

The playground was buzzing withthe type of cheers as if Santa himselfcame to town. The CARE teamfrom Royalton was on a mission tobring the spirit of giving, and it’s safeto say that that mission was ade-quately accomplished. The daystarted with playing on the play-

ground, something that the staffthemselves engaged in, reminiscentof their time in those infant years. Inthe moment, some members of theteam may have well forgotten theiractual age, judging by their level ofengagement with the children onthe swings and slides. Nevertheless,it was a time to play, mix and minglewith the innocent angels.

The next segment of the treat wasall about food, and more food.Gourmet culinary treats enticed theireyes, eventually filling their bellies.The spread of chicken, hot dogs,

sandwiches, nuggets, chili and fruitswas more than satisfaction; it was aheavenly treat. No meal like thatwould be complete without cake andice cream, which did the trickwonderfully. Both students and teacherswere appeased, especially the teacherswho returned for seconds.

Santa’s helpers, in the form of theRoyalton team members, had bags ofgifts for each and every student. Asthe little ones queued to receive theirpresents, their quiet and genuinethank you were rewarding enough tocover the rest of the season. GeneralManager Daniel Cazarin, played therole of chief Santa, issuing packagesto the eager children. There was

more excitement as each one wantedto compare their gift with the other.

The team eventually said goodbyeafter a few hours of bonding withthe children. It was a feeling not tobe rivalled by any other. Loving isgiving, and this is the time to lovemore and give more.

The school’s principal, AngellaWilliams, and her staff, adequatelyexpressed their sentiments ofappreciation but even without this,the reward of giving back wasalready achieved.

The treat was led by HumanResources Manager AngelineAnderson, Shawn Moses, juniorgeneral manager and Cazarin.

JAMAICA TOOK home eightawards at the World TravelAwards’ Grand Final Gala Cere-

mony, held in Lisbon, Portugal, onDecember 1. Minister of TourismEdmund Bartlett as well as chair-man of the Jamaica Tourist Board(JTB), John Lynch, were in atten-dance to accept the awards for theLeading Beach Destination andLeading Cruise Destination.

“We are honoured to once againbe recognised as the world’s LeadingBeach Destination as well as theworld’s Leading Cruise Destination,”

said Donovan White, director oftourism. “These awards, along withthe various tourism partners hon-oured in Lisbon at the Grand FinalGala, are a testament to the con-stant renovation, tireless efforts andcross-sector collaboration that haveplaced our tourism product in anenviable position”

Jamaica was awarded LeadingCruise Destination for the 12th yearin a row. Earlier in the year, the JTBwas honoured as the Caribbean’sLeading Tourist Board at theCaribbean & North America Gala

Ceremony for the World TravelAwards.

A complete list of awards,including those won by tourismpartners, is as follows:� World’s Leading Beach Destina-tion (Jamaica)� World’s Leading Cruise Destina-tion (Jamaica)� World’s Leading Luxury HotelVilla (Fleming Villa at GoldenEye)� World’s Leading Villa Resort(Round Hill Hotel & Villas)� World’s Leading All-InclusiveCompany (Sandals Resorts

International)� World’s Leading Family ResortBrand (Beaches Resorts)� World’s Leading CaribbeanAttraction Company (Island RoutesCaribbean)

� World’s Leading Adventure TourOperator (Chukka CaribbeanAdventures)

The World Travel Awards wasestablished in 1993 to acknowledge,reward and celebrate excellence across

all key sectors of the travel, tourismand hospitality industries.To learn moreabout the World Travel Awards, go towww.worldtravelawards.com.

For more information about Jamaica,please visit www.visitjamaica.com.

JAMAICA IS one of the top fivetrending destinations to travel to inJanuary 2019, as designated byinternational travel website Kayak.In a recent report by Kayak.com,Jamaica landed at number fiveamong the top 10 trending destina-tions, which included locations suchas Palm Springs, Florence, Zurichand New Orleans.This designationunderscores the island’s popularityas a vacation destination amongworld travellers.

For its report, travel search engineKayak looked at flight destinationswith the greatest year-over-yearincrease in searches for the top 100most searched destinations for traveldates, starting December 25 throughDecember 31 and ending January 1through January 2, 2019.

“Jamaica’s inclusion in Kayak’s toptrending destinations speaks volumesabout our diverse product that tick

the bucket list of world travellers,” saidDonovan White, Jamaica’s directorof tourism. “Our food, music andculture are just a few of the thingswhich have attracted millions of vis-itors to our shores, and our partnershave done a great job in promotingthis rich diversity.”

With the holidays fastapproaching, travellers may wish toconsider booking Jamaica, as there isso much to see and do in 2019. Thedestination’s allure can be attributedto the warmth of its people, thenatural beauty and the sheeradventure that can be experienced.Whether it is a hike to the BlueMountains, or biking in the hillyterrain, to climbing the 600-footcascading Dunn’s River Falls, or justexploring the massive undergroundcaverns at the Green Grotto Caves.

If the beach is a draw, there are arange of options from which one

can choose. In Montego Bay, visi-tors can enjoy a relaxing day at theiconic Doctor’s Cave Beach, orsoak up some sun and fun atNegril’s Seven Mile Beach or havesome family time at Frenchman’sCove in Port Antonio.

There is no shortage of things todo on the calendar of events. Start-ing New Year’s Day, Carnival festivi-ties get under way in Jamaica with aSunrise Breakfast Party. Followingthe January 1 event, other activitieswill take place across the island leadingup to the Road March on April 28,which coincides with Easter.

Another staple on the events cal-endar is Rebel Salute, which takesplace January 18 and 19 in OchoRios.The festival is a true culturalimmersion with unique Jamaicanvegetarian cuisine complementingthe authentic Jamaican music andcrafts throughout the event.

8 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 9WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

Ja ranks number five amongKayak’s top trending destinations

Director of Tourism Donovan White addresses the audience at the VIP cocktail reception.

Jamaica cops EIGHTtravel awards

From left: Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism, Jamaica, accepts the award for World’s LeadingBeach Destination from Graham Cooke, founder, World Travel Awards; John Lynch, chairman,Jamaica Tourist Board, shares in the occasion.

Royalton management and staff at a Christmas treat for children and educators at Spicy Hill Basic School.

Students at the Spicy Hill Basic School enjoying every minute ofthe Royalton Christmas treat.

Spicy Hill BasicSchool gets royaltreat from Royalton

From left: General Manager of Royalton White Sands DanielCazarin, principal of Spicy Hill Basic, Angella Williams, andAngeline Anderson, human resource manager, Royalton, proudlyshowcasing the Sung Wing sign at their Christmas treat.

SOMEWHERE WITHIN thetown of the Eight Rivers,Ocho Rios, nestled under tow-

ering fern species, is the home ofone of Jamaica’s artisans, NoveletteClarke, of Colegate, Fern Gully.

“Art is something that is createdfrom one’s imagination, and peopleshould appreciate the arts. Thetime and effort that goes into hand-made items is filled with so muchsweat, and passion, in comparisonto machines that can be easilydestroyed,” is the self-taught artist’sperspective on the arts.

Her vision comes alive at nightwith wild ideas that result in thegenesis of her crafts today, not bysketches or patterns but throughpure, free-handed passion. Apassion that only flourishes as timegoes by as she improves her craft.

Despite being self-taught, she hastaken the opportunity to garnermore knowledge and skills throughtrainings offered by the TourismProduct Development Company inmicro, small & medium enterprisemanagement, and FloridaCaribbean Cruise Associationtrainings, concerning marketingand operating a small business, aswell as honing her craft techniques.

Raised in a community with itsvery own craft market to which hermother contributed makes Clarke’ssuccess far from farfetched. She is awoman who believes in creatingopportunities to generate a mixture ofincome streams within the areas ofhotels farming, teaching, and so on.

However, she believes craft is afulltime job and dedicates themajority of her time to it; every-thing else she takes on is just a top-up. Clarke boasts several skills,aside from her craft, includingbeing a clerical typist, for which shereceived training under Fitz-Hen-ley. These additional jobs, however,are proof of her driven nature innever settling, just like her mother.It was also necessary for her towear so many caps as her motheraged and faced health complica-tions, so the responsibility of main-taining the tradition sat on theshoulders of Novelette, while hersister flourished as a teacher.

However, the journey was noth-ing Clarke couldn’t handle. Spe-cialising in crochet, embroidery andpapier-maché is second nature, as

she grew up watching her motherand her craft; but Clarke started inher early 20s. Her mother inspiredher most, seeing her touch every-thing and watch it bloom thereafterwas mesmerizing for young Clarke.

Staying true to her belief innever selling the first thing she hasever made, as it provides a constantmotivation, her biggest momentwas when she made her very owncrochet swimsuits. Clarke believesher craft items generally have bettermarket value than many things outthere, but like any entrepreneur, sheexperienced slow days.

However, she does not get dis-couraged, and will continue togrow and monetise her businessand share her passion for the artsselling at the Olde Craft MarketShoppes, Shop No. 6, Ocho Rios.


Artisan Novelette Clarke sits in her stall at the Olde Craft MarketShoppes in Ocho Rios, honing her skill in crochet.

Novelette Clarke showcases variations of the ‘One Love’ Jamaican dress to a visitor at the OldeMarket Craft Shoppes in Ocho Rios.

ARTISAN CORNER

Novelette Clarke – the nextgeneration of artisans

ADVERTISEMENT HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 11WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018


FISHING VILLAGES inJamaica are invariably quaint,rustic spaces where preten-

tiousness does not thrive. They areas earthy as earthy gets. The scenesand the people therein are real andvibrant. They are places people goto, to get fresh seafood, chill ,andconnect with nature.

On a busy day, there is so muchgoing on at the same time – canoesleaving and arriving with theircatch, buyers flocking fish-ladenboats, fishermen making andrepairing fish pots, people cleaningand selling fish, birds and dogscompeting for scraps, and ‘the devilknows what’.

They are crossroads, confluences,and birthplaces. Many a child wasborn there, and so were some towns.Many coastal communities inJamaica sprang up around andevolved from fishing villages, andOcho Rios in St Ann is one of them.It has grown from a little sleepyfishing village into one of Jamaica’spremier tourist destinations, apopular cruise-ship port.

And for years, the fishing villagelocated at a spot called SailorsHole was one of the most vibrantin this tourist town. It was a sceneof industry and commerce, repletewith shacks, sheds, and booths thatsold a variety of things. Music wasalways blaring. It was a village that

never slept. The vibes were endless.There was always some pot over

a fire, and the tantalising aromas ofJamaican food were wafting all overthe place. Daily, people flocked thespot to get fresh fish. Hustlers werea staple, and so were the peoplewho trekked there to a get a bath

in a pool of ‘therapeutic’ springwater that seeps from under rocks.

This little pool was like a shrine towhich people from all over theparish and beyond went to benefitfrom its ‘healing properties’ or just totake a ‘medz’. It was particularlypopular with Rastafarians, and the

positive energy that that spaceexuded was sometimesoverwhelming.

Then, a couple years ago, thelaissez-faire, laid-back lifestylecame to a reluctant halt. Theauthorities and owners of the prop-erty pulled the plug and intervenedto develop the place. Thedevelopment is now a reality, andthe scents and sounds of theoriginal fishing village arememories etched on the brains ofthose who once frequented there.

It is still called the Ocho RiosFishing Village, but it is a cosmetic

Another section of the new concrete structures in the Ocho Rios Fishing Village.

Another section of the smallarea reserved for fisherfolk inthe Ocho Rios Fishing Village.

From rustic to cosmetic– OCHO RIOS FISHING VILLAGE


This is the new ‘pool’ at the Ocho Rios Fishing Village. The spot was once a very popular spacebecause the water that seeps from under rocks is said to have healing properties.

The spot where water seeps from under rocks on to the OchoRios Fishing Village.

The little section reserved for fisherfolk at the new Ocho RiosFishing Village.

The new shops at the Ocho Rios Fishing Village.

rehash of shops that sell mainlyfood. These concrete structureshave replaced the shacks andsheds. The pots always on the fire,the throbbing music, the varietiesof natural goods, etc, are gone andwashed away by the waves ofdevelopment.

A section, with its manmade‘groyne’, has been reserved for thefisherfolk. It looks absolutelynothing like the hub of activitiesthat it used to be. WhenHospitality Jamaica visitedrecently, there were only a fewpeople buying fish. Some emptyboats were idling on the sands oftime – a different time.

The water that runs on to theproperty from Island Village nowruns through a stonewall channelalong the shops and rushes down to

the sea. The area where it joins thesea is clean and inviting

The aforementioned pool ofhealing waters is still there but issurrounded by concrete and it israiled off. The sights of peoplebathing, praying, singing, and hold-ing a ‘med’, too, have gone. Onlytheir spirits remain. Not one personwas around or in it, chilling. Noth-ing happens there. The fish arealone and are perhaps sad to be.

The property gives access to theIsland Village complex and to thebeach at Jimmy BuffetMargaritaville. The vistas of cruiseships in the harbour, the beach,and the little section for fishingboats create a nice little portrait,but the charm of the originalfishing village is gone, replaced bymanmade aesthetics and order.

MBJ AIRPORTS Limited,operators of Sangster Inter-national Airport (SIA),

Jamaica’s leading gateway to theworld, hosted the 24th Art of ReggaeExhibition, a ‘Trashion Show’, danceand musical performances headlinedby Agent Sasco recently.

A culmination of year-longcelebrations marking MBJ’s 15thanniversary as operator of SIA,featured the Art of Reggae Exhibi-tion, displaying the top 100 selectionsof the International Reggae Postercontest; a ‘trashion’ show presentingapparel made from recycled materialsand designed by members of the air-port staffl; and performances by adance troupe from Edna Manley Col-lege, Tennshann Invasion Band, andheadliner Agent Sasco, who thrilledfans with back-to-back hits through-out his hour-long set.

The courtyard outside thedeparture terminal surrounding thenew ‘I Love Montego Bay’ sign wastransformed for the soiree with astage and red carpet and tents dis-playing the reggae posters.

The proceedings kicked off withthe announcement of winners ofthe School Art Competition,organised jointly by MBJ and theMinistry of Education, Youth andInformation, which had poster and3D/mosaic categories at the pri-mary and secondary levels. Corn-wall College’s piece by Curtis Clen-non took the J$60,000 first-placeprize in the high-school poster con-test, with St Thomas Technicaltaking the J$30,000 second-placeprize. Burmar High took first in theHigh School 3D/Mosaic category,and Green Pond High came in sec-ond. Roehampton Primary tookfirst in the primary poster contest,while Sommerton All-Age tooksecond. Independence City Primarycame first in the Primary 3D/Mosa-ic segment while Mona Prep camein second place. The ‘trashion’show followed with contestantsrepresenting 10 companies operat-ing at Sangster International Air-port. Participants included JudithWilliams of Relay and Island Newsoperated by Paradies Lagarde,Stanford Hinds of GuardsmanLimited, Tanya Taylor of JamaicaCustoms Agency, SamanthaWilliams of AMSTAR, JoanPennicot of American Airlines,Jermaine Williams of AJAS

Limited, Stacy-Ann Blair of WorldDuty Free, Tameisha Patterson ofExpress Catering, Kerry-Ann Millerof Virgin Atlantic Airlines andJamila Myers of Express Catering.

The designer representingExpress Catering took first placeand walked away with cash prize ofJ$50,000, Virgin Atlantic and VIPAttractions tied for second placeand was each awarded J$25,000,while American Airlines wasplaced third and J$15,000.

This was the second year in arow MBJ hosted the Art of ReggaeExhibition, founded by the lateMichael ‘Stylee’ Thompson andfellow graphic designer MariaPapaefstathiou to showcasesubmissions from artists across theglobe that pay homage to reggaemusic and support a vision ofbuilding a Reggae Hall of Fame indowntown Kingston, while raisingawareness for the Alpha Boys’School, a long-standing incubatorof world-class musicianship withmany legends among its alumni. Asubmission from Vinicio Sejas ofBolivia was selected as the winningentry of this year’s contest fromamong 1,060 posters from 582designers representing 68 nations.


Agent Sasco entertains the crowd at the MBJ

First-place ‘trashion’ winner,Jamelia Myers of ExpressCatering.

First place winner Roehampton Primary accept their certificate.

MBJ hosts 24th Art of ReggaeExhibition and ‘trashion’ show

MBJ AIRPORTS Limited, operator of Jamaica’sleading gateway to the world, is introducing anautomated car park system at the SangsterInternational Airport (SIA).

MBJ is in the process of installing a CAMEParkare automated system at the two entrancesand three exits from the public car park at SIA,representing an investment of approximatelyUSD$300,000 (J$37 million).

The system will be in place by the end of theyear says Commercial and CommunicationsManager Sharon Hislop.

Customers will be automatically issued a ticketupon entering the car park as they approach thebarrier. Tickets should be kept with customersuntil they are ready to pay and exit. The tickets

carry a time stamp that will allow customers topay for parking in cash at one of three automat-ed payment locations located in arrivals, depar-tures, and in the car park itself. One of theautomated exit lanes will be manned to acceptdebit- and credit-card payments.

Parking fees will remain unchanged atJMD$150 per hour for the first three hours, orpart thereof, or JMD$600 for more than threehours and up to 24 hours, with an additionalJMD 600 due for each additional 24-hour period,or part thereof, said a media release from MBJ.

The automating access to the car park at theSIA is part of MBJ’s broader plan to improveservice and operational efficiency for theairport’s customers.

“We are pleased to introduce cutting-edgetechnology from one of the world’s leadingmanufacturers of automated parking systems,making it easier and faster for our customers toenter and exit the car park at SangsterInternational Airport,” commented MBJ Air-ports CEO Rafael Echevarne. “This upgrade isone of many infrastructure improvements underway at the airport geared towards making theexperience enjoyable and seamless for ourvalued guests,” Echevarne added.

CAME Parkare is part of Italy-based CAMEGroup, a leader in automated access controlsystems. The company is a specialist in automatedparking systems with more than 50 airportparking systems installed across the globe.


CEO of MBJ Airports Limited,Dr Rafael Echevarne.

MBJ invests $37m in automated car parksystem at Sangster International Airport

Twenty-two year old Sandals ManagementTrainee Carnel Smith (second right) shares use-ful insight into the hospitality industry with boysfrom Anchovy High School during SandalsSouth Coast’s most recent Tourism in Schoolssession.

Anthony Rowe, stewarding manager at SandalsSouth Coast, brings Tourism Action Club stu-dents from Anchovy High School up to speed onthe operations of his department during a recentTourism in Schools session at the resort.

Sandals South Coast Bar Supervisor Cavata Murdock (right) shows students the different types of glassesavailable at a typical bar and their uses. Looking on is bartender, Hensley Wedderburn (second right).

Hospitality 101 for Anchovy High

TWENTY-FIVE Tourism Action Club studentsfrom Anchovy High School were the mostrecent set of students to experience Sandals

South Coast through the resort’s ongoing Tourism inSchools initiative. The Tourism in Schools initiativeprovides opportunities for students with an interestin tourism and hospitality to experience resortoperation firsthand and to interact with hospitalityprofessionals, thereby making them more preparedfor a career in the industry.

SPEAKING ON the ministerialpanel in Istanbul, Turkey,recently, Jamaica’s Minister of

Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, assertedthat tourism was but the marketingof culture as the product visitors con-sume on their visits to destinationsare the cultural assets of the people.

He noted that the harmony oftourism and culture, therefore, isessential for the sustainability ofthe industry, which is now thefastest-growing economic activityglobally, representing 10 per centof global GDP, employing 1:11 ofthe global workforce, and 35 percent of trade in services.

Minister Bartlett further statedthat over the past 50 years tourismhas grown fiftyfold from 200million visitors to 1.2 billion andexpenditure growing from US$300billion to US$1.3 trillion in 2017.This growth trend is projected to

continue and will reach two billionby 2030, with expenditures of $2.5trillion, according to World Traveland Tourism Council.

In addition, some 79 countrieshave transformed their economicbase to tourism, with GDPdependence of 10 per cent and over.

This means that the pressures oncultural products have heightenedand the demand for commercialisa-tion of local culture has increased.This, he remarked, while good foreconomic growth, might bechallenging for the preservationand protection of indigenous andauthentic cultural patterns.

He warned that the growingtendencies for mass tourism if notcarefully planned and structured,with full involvement of all stake-holders, including indigenouspeople and communities, couldlead to the loss of authenticity,

cultural alienation, social tension,and even rejection of tourism.

The minister reflected on therecent incidence in some tourismcentres of Europe, where locals arebecoming hostile to tourists citing,among other things, the destructionof their way of life as they knew itand the loss of their sense of place.

“Tourism is a people-centredactivity and can only exist if thecreative intellectual output of thepeople is harnessed and convertedinto material values, which thencommand a price,” he proffered.

Consequently, he said thatgovernments and the private sectormust collaborate to create aharmony of people and products byproviding the legislative andregulatory framework as well asthe financial and marketingarrangements to give space forinnovation and entrepreneurship.

He indicated that tourism wasdriven by small and medium enter-prises, which constitute more than80 per cent of the experiences andpassions people travel the world toconsume, however, the irony is thatthese enterprises receive less than 20per cent of the benefits of tourismaccording to recent United NationsEnvironment Programmes reports.

“Something is wrong with that,”he asserted, calling for arebalancing of that anomaly as it isat the heart of the wave of rejectionof tourists and tourism in some

countries today. Overtourism, hesaid is a symptom that we ignore atour peril.

Concluding to much applause,the minister indicated that thecause was not lost as the meetingof UNESCO and United NationsWorld Tourism Organisationdeliberating on this critical matterand offering experience andinnovation would set the tone for anew paradigm and, no doubt a newarchitecture for cultural tourism tocreate more wealth and prosperityfor his people.

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

Bartlett calls for greaterharmonisation oftourism and culture

Edmund Bartlett

THEIR UNLEASHED excitementand exuberant laughter were enoughevidence that the children of SpicyHill Basic School were more thanhappy for the visit of the group ofRoyalton staff, who fêted them withgifts and lunch.

The playground was buzzing withthe type of cheers as if Santa himselfcame to town. The CARE teamfrom Royalton was on a mission tobring the spirit of giving, and it’s safeto say that that mission was ade-quately accomplished. The daystarted with playing on the play-

ground, something that the staffthemselves engaged in, reminiscentof their time in those infant years. Inthe moment, some members of theteam may have well forgotten theiractual age, judging by their level ofengagement with the children onthe swings and slides. Nevertheless,it was a time to play, mix and minglewith the innocent angels.

The next segment of the treat wasall about food, and more food.Gourmet culinary treats enticed theireyes, eventually filling their bellies.The spread of chicken, hot dogs,

sandwiches, nuggets, chili and fruitswas more than satisfaction; it was aheavenly treat. No meal like thatwould be complete without cake andice cream, which did the trickwonderfully. Both students and teacherswere appeased, especially the teacherswho returned for seconds.

Santa’s helpers, in the form of theRoyalton team members, had bags ofgifts for each and every student. Asthe little ones queued to receive theirpresents, their quiet and genuinethank you were rewarding enough tocover the rest of the season. GeneralManager Daniel Cazarin, played therole of chief Santa, issuing packagesto the eager children. There was

more excitement as each one wantedto compare their gift with the other.

The team eventually said goodbyeafter a few hours of bonding withthe children. It was a feeling not tobe rivalled by any other. Loving isgiving, and this is the time to lovemore and give more.

The school’s principal, AngellaWilliams, and her staff, adequatelyexpressed their sentiments ofappreciation but even without this,the reward of giving back wasalready achieved.

The treat was led by HumanResources Manager AngelineAnderson, Shawn Moses, juniorgeneral manager and Cazarin.

JAMAICA TOOK home eightawards at the World TravelAwards’ Grand Final Gala Cere-

mony, held in Lisbon, Portugal, onDecember 1. Minister of TourismEdmund Bartlett as well as chair-man of the Jamaica Tourist Board(JTB), John Lynch, were in atten-dance to accept the awards for theLeading Beach Destination andLeading Cruise Destination.

“We are honoured to once againbe recognised as the world’s LeadingBeach Destination as well as theworld’s Leading Cruise Destination,”

said Donovan White, director oftourism. “These awards, along withthe various tourism partners hon-oured in Lisbon at the Grand FinalGala, are a testament to the con-stant renovation, tireless efforts andcross-sector collaboration that haveplaced our tourism product in anenviable position”

Jamaica was awarded LeadingCruise Destination for the 12th yearin a row. Earlier in the year, the JTBwas honoured as the Caribbean’sLeading Tourist Board at theCaribbean & North America Gala

Ceremony for the World TravelAwards.

A complete list of awards,including those won by tourismpartners, is as follows:� World’s Leading Beach Destina-tion (Jamaica)� World’s Leading Cruise Destina-tion (Jamaica)� World’s Leading Luxury HotelVilla (Fleming Villa at GoldenEye)� World’s Leading Villa Resort(Round Hill Hotel & Villas)� World’s Leading All-InclusiveCompany (Sandals Resorts

International)� World’s Leading Family ResortBrand (Beaches Resorts)� World’s Leading CaribbeanAttraction Company (Island RoutesCaribbean)

� World’s Leading Adventure TourOperator (Chukka CaribbeanAdventures)

The World Travel Awards wasestablished in 1993 to acknowledge,reward and celebrate excellence across

all key sectors of the travel, tourismand hospitality industries.To learn moreabout the World Travel Awards, go towww.worldtravelawards.com.

For more information about Jamaica,please visit www.visitjamaica.com.

JAMAICA IS one of the top fivetrending destinations to travel to inJanuary 2019, as designated byinternational travel website Kayak.In a recent report by Kayak.com,Jamaica landed at number fiveamong the top 10 trending destina-tions, which included locations suchas Palm Springs, Florence, Zurichand New Orleans.This designationunderscores the island’s popularityas a vacation destination amongworld travellers.

For its report, travel search engineKayak looked at flight destinationswith the greatest year-over-yearincrease in searches for the top 100most searched destinations for traveldates, starting December 25 throughDecember 31 and ending January 1through January 2, 2019.

“Jamaica’s inclusion in Kayak’s toptrending destinations speaks volumesabout our diverse product that tick

the bucket list of world travellers,” saidDonovan White, Jamaica’s directorof tourism. “Our food, music andculture are just a few of the thingswhich have attracted millions of vis-itors to our shores, and our partnershave done a great job in promotingthis rich diversity.”

With the holidays fastapproaching, travellers may wish toconsider booking Jamaica, as there isso much to see and do in 2019. Thedestination’s allure can be attributedto the warmth of its people, thenatural beauty and the sheeradventure that can be experienced.Whether it is a hike to the BlueMountains, or biking in the hillyterrain, to climbing the 600-footcascading Dunn’s River Falls, or justexploring the massive undergroundcaverns at the Green Grotto Caves.

If the beach is a draw, there are arange of options from which one

can choose. In Montego Bay, visi-tors can enjoy a relaxing day at theiconic Doctor’s Cave Beach, orsoak up some sun and fun atNegril’s Seven Mile Beach or havesome family time at Frenchman’sCove in Port Antonio.

There is no shortage of things todo on the calendar of events. Start-ing New Year’s Day, Carnival festivi-ties get under way in Jamaica with aSunrise Breakfast Party. Followingthe January 1 event, other activitieswill take place across the island leadingup to the Road March on April 28,which coincides with Easter.

Another staple on the events cal-endar is Rebel Salute, which takesplace January 18 and 19 in OchoRios.The festival is a true culturalimmersion with unique Jamaicanvegetarian cuisine complementingthe authentic Jamaican music andcrafts throughout the event.

8 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 9WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2018

Ja ranks number five amongKayak’s top trending destinations

Director of Tourism Donovan White addresses the audience at the VIP cocktail reception.

Jamaica cops EIGHTtravel awards

From left: Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism, Jamaica, accepts the award for World’s LeadingBeach Destination from Graham Cooke, founder, World Travel Awards; John Lynch, chairman,Jamaica Tourist Board, shares in the occasion.

Royalton management and staff at a Christmas treat for children and educators at Spicy Hill Basic School.

Students at the Spicy Hill Basic School enjoying every minute ofthe Royalton Christmas treat.

Spicy Hill BasicSchool gets royaltreat from Royalton

From left: General Manager of Royalton White Sands DanielCazarin, principal of Spicy Hill Basic, Angella Williams, andAngeline Anderson, human resource manager, Royalton, proudlyshowcasing the Sung Wing sign at their Christmas treat.

w wiinntteerr - hospitality jamaica

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