Jamaica in 3D at the World Travel Market

Jamaica in 3D at the World Travel Market

Jamaica became the first country in the world yesterday to use 3D technology to attract tourists when it premiered its first 3D destination film during the 2010 World Travel Market (WTM) in London. The annual World Travel Market, held at ExCel exhibition centre, in east London, which runs from November 7 to 10, is the world’s largest travel industry trade fair.

The brainchild of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and Exposure4, a UK-based production company, the film, which invited repeat and potential visitors to see the country in a “whole new dimension”, became the first of its kind in the world.

Jamaica's Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told the Gleaner that Jamaica is hoping to see a growth in tourist arrivals and in investment in the country following this year’s WTM at the Excel Centre in London. He said the country intends to attract tourists from these new markets.

He also added that Jamaica and other Caribbean territories were still campaigning for the UK government to make changes to the Airport Passenger Duty (APD), which was raised for a second time in two years on November 1. Bartlett, who has always campaigned to have Jamaica moved to the lower cost category where the United States is, told the Gleaner: “We continue the campaign to get the UK government to consider repositioning the Caribbean in a light that is not as discriminatory as it is now and enable us to be on equal competitive footing with other partners in the world.”

APD changes, which places the Caribbean in Band C, now means passengers travelling to the Caribbean pay more than passengers travelling to the US, which is in the cheaper Band B. As of November 1, APD has risen from £50 extra per ticket to £75 for economy passengers while premium passengers pay up to £120 in APD per ticket.