On-line booking takes over Spring Break market
Jamaica reports 40 per cent decrease in bookings

Janet Silvera, Hospitality Jamaica Coordinator

JAMAICA'S BOOKINGS from traditional Spring Break operators have decreased by 40 per cent, Cancun down 90 per cent, while Acapulco, the country's greatest competitor is showing marginal increase in the vibrant student market.

United States students are taking their vacation plans into their own hands and booking directly with companies such as Travelocity and Expedia.com, removing a lot of the business from beneath the feet of Sunsplash, Student City and Student Travel Service (STS).

Custos Clarence Nelson (right), greets the first set of Spring Breakers to arrive in the island last year. The young students were welcomed in style by Margaritaville Caribbean at the Sangster International Airport. Perky the official Margaritaville mascot and Andre Dixon (far left) director of operations were on hand to meet the students.

To a lesser extent, some of the business is coming from Liberty Go Go, Air Jamaica and Apple Vacations, changing the face of the industry, which has depended on Sunsplash, Student City and STS over the last 20 years to fill the rooms of mainly the small hoteliers who are more receptive to the loss leaders.

FIRST SET OF ARRIVALS

However, research has shown that in the last three years, the student market has been on the decline. Last year, Jamaica accommodated some 18,000 students over the six weeks Spring Break period, February 25 to April 5, while this year the projected figures from the operators reflects an alarming an alarming 7,000.

This year the first set of students will start arriving at the Sangster International Airport as of Saturday, February 25th.

When Hospitality Jamaica checked with a number of Spring Break hoteliers the reaction was mixed.

"The first two weeks of Spring Break are reasonably ok," Carolyn Wright, owner of Rondel Village told Hospitality Jamaica. She said the week of March 11 ­ 18 was her best bet.

While Andre McGann of the Doctor's Cave Beach Hotel in Montego Bay said the travel pattern of the students has definitely changed.

THINGS LOOKING DIM

A group of tourists pose for the camera at the Montego Bay Cruiseshipping Pier.

"Things are not looking favourable for my property but MoBay was never big on the Spring Break radar," he commented. He blames the Jamaica Tourist Board for what he described as their "lack of support for the Spring Break market over the years."

"The Jamaica Tourist Board does nothing, overall the JTB is letting everybody down, they don't understand that these students are future travellers," added McGann.

As for the 95-room Gloucestershire Hotel, that property's general manager said its early days yet to make a projection. She however confirmed that in the last three years most of her business has come from Travelocity and Expedia.

In the meantime Spring Break headquarters such as Margaritaville and Jamaica Bob Sled are in high gear preparing for the influx, whether the groups are small or large.

"The hotels are having a strong year from direct bookings and the Spring Breakers are still coming on the cruise ships," remarked an optimistic Brian Jardim, of Margaritaville Caribbean.

He said the annual foam and Mardi Gras mega parties scheduled to take place in Negril are on, while Bob Sled on Gloucester Avenue in Montego Bay will fall into the general programme.