JAMPRO goes to int'l tourism trade fair in Spain

THE STATE'S promotions agency, Jamaica Promotions Corporations (JAMPRO), spent the past week networking at the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR) in Spain.

FITUR, which remains a critical component of the organisation's marketing strategy, offers a target market for additional foreign direct investment. It is in fact where JAMPRO successfully made contact with three of four Spanish hotel chains that are now investing in Jamaica. The four are Spanish Hotel Riu, with two hotels; a third is under construction, while three others, Grupo Piñero, Iberostar and AM Resorts are expected to start building this year.

PLATFORM FOR CONTACTS

The trade fair is a forum where the business model is the promotion and marketing platform for destinations. A release from FITUR states that its success is its proven capacity to summon exhibitors and trade visitors from the tourism industry, creating the framework of the meeting place in order to establish trade contacts.

Victor Salazar Chang, JAMPRO's Caribbean and Latin America manager, thinks that FITUR "presents one of the international showcases to display for the tourism industry the latest news, products and services, trends, tourist destinations, developments-to-be, consulting and applied technology in Europe."

Salazar Chang and Neil Hill, regional manager, United Kingdom, will be attending the event of behalf of the agency.

EUROPEAN FOCUS

"This year our focus will be on hotel groups from other European countries," says Michael McMorris, executive director, markets. "This remains a focus of the agency in its efforts to diversify the tourist base by targeting chains with strong European clientele."

McMorris noted, "There is renewed vibrancy in the European arrivals and this is attributable to the increased Spanish presence which will grow exponentially over the next few years and the island has kept up the pace in the development of its tourism attractions and accommodations. The Jamaica Tourist Board has now established a representative office in Spain to heighten the profile of Jamaica."

During the FITUR event, JAMPRO officials will also take part in a presentation to European companies highlighting investment opportunities in Jamaica and the Caribbean at this time. The information will focus on opportunities as a follow up to the successful Partnership Roles for Opportunities in Tourism (PROFIT) meeting which was held in Montego Bay in October 2004.