Q & A with Patricia Samuels, Jamaica Tourism Director for Europe

Jamaica is determined to raise the bar as a MICE travel destination by taking advantage, among many niceties the island nation has to offer, of the opening of new Spanish hotels, a move that’s will also make the Caribbean country get a tighter hold on its traditional outbound markets in the Old World and open up to emerging ones in such regions as Eastern Europe. Patricia Samuels talked exclusively with Caribbean News Digital about these issues.

Q.- What’s the position of Jamaica in the European MICE market?
A.- It’s doing very well, but not well enough in my opinion. So, I don’t think we are in the top five as far as arrivals for MICE industry in Jamaica is concerned. We are doing some groups out of Belgium, Poland, Germany, Spain, out of Italy, but we would like to be actually stronger. We wish to be stronger hence our activity in EIBTM, IMX and ILTM and all major shows in Europe.

Q.- Does the opening of Spanish new hotels in Jamaica help you make a stronger opening toward the European market?
A. -Definitely. I think we have the major Spanish hotel chains in Jamaica and without them I don’t think we would’ve maintained the market share we’re having out of Europe. I think, separately apart from the MICE market for normal and tour operator business, we’re number three or number four to the Caribbean behind the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Cancun; we’re probably as strong as Cancun in some markets and we intend to grow that and definitely the Spanish hotels that have come to the island have helped us to maintain the share and to grow the business. So, we intend to grow from where we are now.

Q.- How many charter flights are currently flying to Jamaica out of Europe?
A.- If I count them for this winter, we have seven or eight for this winter from Germany, Belgium, Poland and Italy. In the summer, we have several out of Spain and Portugal, this summer we had six out of Spain and Portugal and two out of Italy, Germany, Belgium and one out of Poland. We’re looking further into it; we’re discussing charters out of Russia and we’ll see how that develops. But in summer the market is stronger in some areas, and so is in winter.

Q.- How many people travel from Europe to Jamaica?
A.- If you take in last year, we had almost three hundred thousand visitors, taken UK and continental Europe.

Q.- What outbound market comes after UK?
A.- After UK, last year we had Portugal and Spain. Germany is always the major market and followed by Spain and Italy.

Q.- What’s your opinion about the emerging markets, like Russia and the Eastern European countries?
A.- We are making attempts to go into these markets. Not making attempts, we’re actually going into these markets and they are growing for us now. Naturally, they are secondary markets for us and the numbers are showing very good increases, but increases from a small base. So, I think we are receiving about four thousand to five thousand from the Eastern markets and we’re looking to see that if we can grow that in double digits each year. And it’s happening so far. Hence my involvement in Russia, Poland, Czech Republic and some of the others. So, we are actively working in the market and working with tour operators and doing tradeshows and some advertisement, as well as PR activities in the market.

Q.- What do you think about EITBM? Is it a good show?
A.- Very good show for us. Look at all the booths now, they are very occupied and people are actually working. If we put all the partners together, there are more than a hundred appointments on the booth, which is very encouraging.