NEW YORK – Caribbean airline Air Jamaica is playing an integral role in Caribbean Week in New York activities which got underway this weekend.
A key sponsor of the June 9 to 17 events, which are being produced by the newly formed Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC), Air Jamaica has teamed up with the Caribbean Media Corporation and its new CaribVision television product to sponsor coverage of today’s celebrity cricket match in Brooklyn, featuring past, present and emerging players from West Indies cricket teams competing against a team of all-star players from cricket leagues in the New York area.
Air Jamaica also will sponsor what is expected to be an exciting town hall meeting on Monday, June 11 at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, featuring Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Aloun N’Dombet Assamba; Glen Beache, Minister of Tourism of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and former Air Jamaica executive Senator Allen Chastanet, who is now St. Lucia’s Minister of Tourism and chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.
George deMaercado
“We think Caribbean Week in New York presents an outstanding opportunity for Air Jamaica to further solidify its relationship with the traveling public, the international media, and the travel agents and operators that help keep our little piece of Jamaica flying,” said George deMercado, Air Jamaica’s Vice President of Sales.
He further disclosed that Air Jamaica will also have a strong presence at the bumper Caribbean Media Marketplace in the City on Wednesday, which will attract international journalists from a wide range of travel media.
DeMercado congratulated his New York-based team, led by regional director for the northeast Campbell Rudder, for securing several opportunities to expose the airline during Caribbean Week in New York, which Hugh Riley, the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) Director of Marketing for the Americas, describes as “an exciting collection of events all aimed at demonstrating the color, culture, food, history and unique vacation attractions of the Caribbean.”
The CTO’s Hugh Riley (center) with former West Indies cricketer Trinidadian Larry Gomes (right) and Barbadian Dwayne Smith (who played for the West Indies in the recent ICC Cricket World Cup) as Caribbean Week in New York gets under way.
Air Jamaica, which also is Barbados’ designated flag carrier, will have a booth at Tuesday’s Caribbean Fair & Vacation Mart at the highly popular South Street Seaport in Manhattan, and will present two Executive Business Class round-trip tickets to St. Lucia to a couple exchanging vows at a wedding during the Fair.
The Fair concludes with a Caribbean concert, featuring performances by popular Caribbean musicians, which will be telecast on CaribVision in the United States and the Caribbean, courtesy of Air Jamaica.
During the week, CTDC will honor the achievements and contributions of Caribbean nationals by celebrating Caribbean-American Heritage Month in June, and by ensuring that the events of Caribbean Week in New York coincide with their public recognition.
