Q & A with Marcia BullockHead of the Jamaica Tourism Bureau

by Jose Carlos de Santiago

Jamaica has lately witnessed an invasion of Spanish hotel chains interested in investing on the island nation. In return, the country goes the extra mile to lure far more visitors from that European nation and from all over Europe. About this and other issues, Mrs. Bullock talked exclusively with Caribbean News Digital.

Q.- Can you explain briefly Jamaica´s current marketing expansion policy toward Spain?

A.- Jamaica is highly interested in expanding the markets in those countries that send tourists to the island nation, and Spain is no doubt one of those markets. Right now, we have charter flights that touch down in a number of Spanish cities and the idea is to enhance those flights in 2006. As a result of this, we´ve opened a JTB office in Spain and we have the intention of increasing our presence there. And we´re not only interested in putting more charter flights, but also in starting regular flights through Air Jamaica.

Q.- What has the opening of Spanish hotels in your country meant to Jamaica and what new projects are underway there?

A.- As you know, there are eleven hotel groups from Spain in Jamaica. RIU has built three hotels. Bahia Principe has begun building a hotel in Ocho Rios, I mean, out of the Montego Bay region where that company owns a thousand rooms. This hotel that´s being built in Ocho Rios will have 300 rooms and the first phase of the project must be completed very soon. Fiesta has bought lands and must start building very soon, too. Barceló Hotels is about to close a construction plan.

This is very interesting for us because each and every one of those hotel chains are contained in the Jamaica´s tourism master plan. This master plan will stretch out for ten years and it primary objective is the enhancement of Jamaica´s hotel portfolio.

Q.- And what about Meliá Hotels?

A.- To the best of my knowledge, they were interested, but we haven´t received any official word indicating that company is building in Jamaica.

Q.- How are you planning to tackle the drawbacks in communication, infrastructure, roads and safety in Jamaica given all these new investments and the troves of new tourists that will be soon going to the island?

A.- We know we can´t have new rooms without adequate infrastructure improvements. Communication in Jamaica is not a serious problem. As a matter of fact, we´re recognized in the Caribbean in that respect. However, we need to improve that infrastructure and we´re doing just that. We´re improving the coastal road around Jamaica. The road that connects Montego Bay and Negril must be finished a year from now. As we speak, a road to link Montego Bay and Ocho Rios is underway and must also be completed in 2006, as well as the road connecting Ocho Rios and Port Antonio.

We´re also investing heavily in improving the sewage system around both existing and new hotels. Water in Jamaica is quality water, considered one of the world´s best potable waters. Our hospitals have also been refurbished or remodeled, and even some of them boast new facilities.

As far as airports are concerned, the Montego Bay international airport was leased to a consortium that´s made up of, as a matter of fact, Spain, Canada and Colombia. This consortium is giving the Montego Bay terminal a new lease on life and we believe it must be ready six months from now. Similar works are now underway in other airports and terminals all across the island.

Q.- What do you think of multi-destination and, especially, multi-destination with Cuba?

A.- That´s something we wish very strongly. It´s not something new because it all started several years ago, and not only with Cuba, but also with other destinations in the Caribbean. As businesses grow, you realize that airlines cannot be flying to just one destination. A majority of tour operators in Europe we work with combine Cuba with Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic with Jamaica, Cancun with Jamaica, and even Trinidad & Tobago with Jamaica. So, I guess that multi-destination relationship is well established and we´ll try to further improve it.

Q.- It´s sometimes hard for Spanish tour operators to dispatch tourists from London, Madrid-London-Jamaica. Could Madrid-Havana, Havana-Jamaica, Madrid-Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo-Jamaica be one of the options? Is there any plan, any strategy to use those routes?

A.- We have nonstop flights from Madrid to Montego Bay for the time being, that´s operated by the Marsans Pullmantur Group. Perhaps one of the things to bear in mind is the kind of hotels that we have in Jamaica, hotels that blend in pretty well with charter flights. These are high-end hotels for deep-pocket guests who prefer charter flights. Yet we don´t know about the possibility of having nonstop flights, regular flights between Spain and Jamaica.

Q.- And with Air Europa?

A.- I can´t answer that. I really don´t know. We know all along that this kind of flight is very important for our market, but as businesses thrive and incoming flows accrue we know we´ll be seeing nonstop regular flights to Jamaica in the near future. That´s our intention.