Kingston, Jamaica – Forging key strategic partnerships is high on the agenda of newly appointed Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill as he meets with regional tourism industry leaders as well as other major global players while he attends the 2012 edition of Caribbean Marketplace, in Nassau Bahamas. The event will run from January 22-24, 2012 and is being held at the Atlantis Paradise Island.
Minister McNeill expressed that “Caribbean Marketplace is a premier travel and tourism event which provides the perfect platform to meet with key industry players from across the globe and tourism leaders from the region. It also provides the ideal environment for crucial discussions and facilitates meetings with key stakeholders within the sector on a broader scale, which is in-keeping with our initiative to foster consultation as we assume leadership of the sector.”
Dr. McNeill, who is leading the Jamaican delegation, which includes Director of Tourism Mr. John Lynch, outlined that “we are very excited to participate in Caribbean Marketplace as it will set the tone for what will be a very significant year for Jamaica. This year’s staging is already shaping up to be a record breaking event with a massive jump in bookings and appointments, which our destination should benefit from as well.”
The Minister added that “this is my first Caribbean Marketplace as Minister and I look forward to discussions with travel industry partners, even as we showcase our superb tourism offerings and negotiate and seal crucial deals to boost arrivals and tourism earnings.”
Minister McNeill’s trip to the Bahamas comes on the heels of his visit to the United States late last week for meetings with tourism partners. Dr. McNeill, who will return to the island on Tuesday January 24, explained that “after meeting with many of our stakeholders in Jamaica we thought it prudent to engage our tourism partners overseas as well. We held very vital meetings with officials from The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) as well as senior airline executives including Mr. Peter Dolara, American Airlines’ Senior Vice President for the Caribbean and Latin America. These early discussions were very positive and now pave the way for future dialogue.”
