Students ‘relaunch’ Jamaica resort areas

ON TUESDAY, April 24, completing students in the School of Tourism Hospitality and Entertainment Management at Excelsior Community College in St Andrew ‘relaunched’ Jamaica’s major resort areas, cutting ribbons and all.

“The aim of this event is to reintroduce the many resort areas of Jamaica, but in a way for them to be seen through new eyes,” the students say in their programme notes. It is actually a requirement for the completion of their public relations course. They were divided into six public relations ‘consultancy’ groups, each focusing on a different resort region.

In addition to highlighting the features that are already in these regions, they suggested ways in which products might be improved and proposed new features/attractions. Hospitality Jamaica was present to hear the presentations and view the displays.

The tourism trade publication spoke with some of the students about their ideas and plans for their respective regions.

Starting in the east, the lush, green parish of

Portland might see some new tourism features if Experiva Consultancy Firm has its way. Speaking on its behalf, Takiea Lattibeaudiere, ‘public relations director’, said, “Some of those include the party bus – we are looking forward to have a lot of locals participating in that.” Jet skiing, the establishment of different branches of Boston Jerk Centre, and organic foods in the hotels are some of the other things Experiva wants to see happening in Portland.

“To highlight and maintain in a sustainable manner Lime Cay and Maiden Cay beaches” is one of the things group T3M wants to do with the Port Royal area. According to Shanice Marti,n these are not well-known spots, but her team intends to reverse that by marketing them through social media. New facilities will be established on these cays to which access would be gained through party yachts from Morgan’s Harbour.

The male ‘exotic’ sculptures in St Ann’s Fern Gully is a major pull factor to the area, Chenile Hanson of Consulting Agency Travel and Tour believe, and so she has been telling people about them. Yet, the road to these ‘magnets’ is a bit rough, so something has to be done about that.

Another concern she has, has to do with the prices offered to locals by the artisans. These, she believes, are too high, but it might be a challenge to get them to change, she said, “Because we can’t just go there and tell them you need to change your price to please us.” Thus, she also said, “It would have to be something where a group of us make a proposal to them and see how they, too, would benefit from it.”

DIVERSE TOURISM PRODUCT

Representing Jam Creators Communication, Jodi-Ann Robinson said her company, working with the security forces, wants tourists to know that it is still safe to visit the tourist mecca of Montego Bay. She also spoke about the diversity of the tourism product in the Second City. “The essence of the booth was pretty much to give a little of what Montego Bay has to offer to tourists,” Robinson explained.

Holland Bamboo, Alligator Pond Fishing Village, God’s Well, Alligator Hole, Lovers’ Leap, and Milk River Bath and Spa are some of the attractions along Jamaica’s south coast, but what can Retreat Public Relations Consultancy Group do to pull more visitors into the Mandeville/south coast area?

“We are not planning to put up or build anything new there. What we have is sufficient and in sustainable tourism, it is to develop what we have ... . Why don’t we maintain what we have, since it already there? Make it something better. Add to it, and you can take what you don’t want from it. So, that is our focus for Mandeville and the south coast,” Samantha Genus told Hospitality Jamaica.

Cosmetics makers partnering with local farmers is one of the things Tricia Edwards said her public relations firm would promote for the Negril region. The farmers would provide the ingredients for value-added products, such as soaps and shampoos, to be used in the resorts.

In terms of the nightlife in the ‘Capital of Cool’, Edwards said, “We are trying to add some diversity in terms of entertainment. Perfectos is actually working assiduously with the hotels to make Negril ‘the town that never sleeps’. On weekends, we will be having a grand gala – when the locals would come in with their art and craft, as well as live entertainment,” Edwards said.

Team members of T3M smile as their colleague, the ‘pirate’, Mark St John, tells the history of Port Royal.

Perfectos, the team that intends to make Negril the town that never sleeps.

Gina Okoronkwo (right) of Consulting Agency Travel and Tour talks about her plans for Ocho Rios and Fern Gully, as her team members look on.

Beside a bed, set up by Jam Creators Communication, evaluators listen keenly to a presentation.

Experiva Consultancy Firm, the team that wants to diversify the tourism products in Portland.

From left: Patrice Dixon, Samantha Genus, Anika Cross, Jada Tabanna, Monique White and Seychelle Evans, the women of Retreat Public Relations Consultancy Group, are set to improve the tourism products that already exist on Jamaica’s south coast.

A model of the Kingston waterfront, created by T3M.

Portland jerked food, prepared by Experiva Consultancy Firm.