'Shaken Not Stirred'

– a memorable and flawless function

HILTON ROSE Hall Resort & Spa last Monday, played host to over 100 qualified meeting planners who were in Jamaica for the seventh annual Caribbean Meeting and Incentive Travel Exchange (CMITE), staged in the tourism capital last week

Held under the theme, ‘Shaken Not Stirred’, Hilton Rose Hall pulled out all stops at a martini mixology cocktail reception, which saw mixers vying for coveted prizes, followed by a glamorous sit-down dinner complete with Bond movie music and screened footage.

Enlisting partners Jamaica Audio Visual, Tai Flora, and team members, Charmaine Deane, Hilton’s director of communications and marketing, said with the end result was a memorable and flawless function.

“Guests were greeted with red carpet entry via a tunnel with James Bond themed music and video,” stated Deane.

Hilton Rose Hall was among a number of resorts that the meeting planners stopped at during their visit to Jamaica, which was organised by the Jamaica Tourist Board and Questex.

In the days, they had one-to-one business meetings with tourism stakeholders at the Hyatt Ziva and Zilara, and at nights they danced the night away at resorts such as Breathless.

Over the week nearly 1,500 one-toone appointments made, said the organisers, pointing out that the unique event, which pairs North America-based MICE buyers to meet with Caribbean travel suppliers in the privacy of deluxe hotel rooms for individual, was a success.

“Bringing CMITE back to Jamaica was a vital part of our long-term MICE

strategy,” said John Woolcock, groups & conventions manager for the JTB. “Questex is known for bringing high-value meeting planners to their events and this year was no exception. We couldn’t be more pleased and look forward to the long-term results for Jamaica’s MICE business.”

Questex concurred, stating that they were proud to partner with the JTB on CMITE for the second time.

“Our two organisations have nurtured our relationship for many years, and bringing CMITE back to where it all started seven years ago was just one of the logical steps in forging our relationship for continued success on both sides of the equation,” said John McMahon, executive vicepresident, Questex Travel Group.

Questex team (from left): Ashley McGovern, Jennely Popoter, Aileen McDermot and Melissa Schepp are pleased as a martini with the staging of the Shaken Not Stirred event at Hilton Rose Hall.

Jamaica Tours Limited’s managing director, Noel ‘Sport’ Slolely (left) and Jamaica’s Acting Director of Tourism Donnie Dawson do not seem shaken to be in the presence of AFix buyer Nanci Gage.

Hilton Rose Hall’s Andrea Wallace (left) seems pleased with the results of the Shaken not stirred Martini challenge with her group during the hosting of the CMITE’s evening at the resort.

Cinnamon Hill Ballroom transformed into a Casino Royale James Bond themed event for the CMITE dinner hosted by Hilton Rose Hall.

Hilton Rose Hall/Jewel Resorts Area Director of Sales Oral Heaven (2nd left) confers with fellow judges while Jamaica’s Acting Director of Tourism Donnie Dawson (centre) samples the ‘Shaken not stirred’ martinis. The cocktail hour saw seven teams vying to be the best martini Champion.

John Woolcock (second from left) Groups and Conventions Manager Jamaica Tourist Board seems pleased to be in the company of ‘Bond girls’ Jovanni Davis, Candice McLeod, Kareen Hall.

Fred Edson, Hilton Rose Hall’s Director of Group Sales poses with Helms Briscoe (left) and Vickie Corder