JTB team blitz Midwest with key partners for 2018 roadshow
JOHN WOOLCOCK, the Jamaica Tourist Board’s (JTB) manager of groups and conventions, and business development officer Margaret Clarke-Wheatley recently hosted a number of meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) with planners from the US Midwest region.
A number of key Jamaican supplier partners, including hoteliers, destination marketing companies and representatives from the Montego Bay Convention Centre, joined the JTB sales blitz team travelling through Chicago, Minneapolis and St Louis. The blitz saw the team meeting and networking with approximately 150 meeting planners in an effort to promote and position Jamaica as the destination of choice for their groups, conventions and incentive programmes.
According to Traveldailey news.com, the global MICE industry was valued at $752 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach $1,245 billion in 2023. Its future looks bright as the demand for meetings, incentives, conferences and events is still on the rise. The industry is evolving with the creation of curated experiences that showcase a balance between work and the unique aspects of the destination. This new paradigm is being driven by millennials who desire to be fully engaged.This trend prompts destinations to look for creative options for group activities, to include facilities in surrounding areas for gatherings of varying sizes. With increases in the global travel and tourism industry and international business travel, many companies are investing in face-to-face meetings, which augur well for the MICE market.
Jamaica is an ideal location for meeting and incentive planners as there are many unique and interactive activities and meeting spaces. The island boasts the most diverse meeting facilities in the English-speaking Caribbean fit to host seminars, corporate retreats, reunions, team-building and leadership workshops or conferences of all sizes. The more Jamaica responds to the trends in the international marketplace, the more likely the destination will be able to increase her share in the MICE market.
John Woolcock is very optimistic about the blitz and had this to say: “We are always pursuing opportunities to update the market on the new developments that are happening in Jamaica. The blitz was very timely, and along with our tourism partners, we got the opportunity to meet with influential planners in the Midwest region, including the biggest incentive house in Chicago.”
The planners, he added, were receptive during the training and networking sessions, and this will redound to the benefit of Jamaica.