THE PERFECT CONFERENCE BACKDROP - JAMAICA TOURIST ISSUE 14
The tourist industry players in Montego Bay, Jamaica’s bustling second city and main tourist hub, are anxiously awaiting the completion of the city’s stateof-the-art Montego Bay Convention Centre, now at an advanced stage of construction. Scheduled to open in January 2011, the Montego Bay Convention Centre will provide yet another unique selling point for the destination of Jamaica, which provides the perfect backdrop for a conference.
BY DENNIS ERROL MORRISON
Dennis Morrison is a well known Caribbean economist and analyst who formerly occupied the post of Chief Technical Director in the Cabinet Office’s Development Division and served as Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Airport Authority of Jamaica. Central to the creation of Jamaica’s Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, Morrison spearheaded the drive that secured record foreign investment in the sector and under his leadership, the Airport Authority of Jamaica undertook major expansion and modernisation programmes at both Norman Manley (Kingston) and Sangster International Airports (Montego Bay).
With turnover in excess of US$ 150 billion a year, the meeting, incentive, conference and event (MICE) market represents a significant part of the global travel industry. And with the pending opening of the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Jamaica has finally embarked on its quest to become the leading conference destination in the Caribbean.
The Montego Bay Convention Centre is a long awaited addition to the island’s tourism product. To date, lack of substantial meeting space and inadequate facilities have posed major constraints to the development of Montego Bay’s potential in the MICE market. Consequently, Jamaica’s share of this market has been restricted to incentive travel and smaller conferences requiring limited meeting space, with participants accommodated at specific hotels or resort properties. The first-class assembly facilities available at the soon-to-be-open Convention Centre will remove these restrictions. Ideally located in the elegant Rose Hall resort area, the Convention Centre is in close proximity to five major hotels and is a short 15 minute ride from Montego Bay’s world-class Sangster International Airport. And with over 350 flights weekly into Montego Bay, including over 90 from non-stop markets, Jamaica is more accessible to visitors than any other Caribbean island.
The recently completed highway and other infrastructure together with the US$200m re-development and expansion of Sangster International Airport have re-invigorated Montego Bay’s standing as a leading tourism centre and in the past five years, the area has recorded rapid growth in the number of visitors who stay in its resorts. Simultaneously, major investment in the country’s first-world telecommunications system has created a platform for Montego Bay’s emergence as a knowledge services centre. Major players in Back Office Processing and the Call Centre industry have already established operations in the city due to the access to an increasing number of university campuses and tertiary level institutions and the ability to draw upon a trainable workforce.
Home to Jamaica’s second largest port facilities, including a cruise ship pier that accommodates megaliners, the dynamism of Montego Bay’s tourist industry has propelled rapid commercial expansion and the Convention Centre should provide continued momentum for its economy. In addition to exhibitions, the new facility will allow for simultaneous general sessions as well as breakout sessions for large groups. Catering to corporate entities, associations and faith-based organizations that hold retreats, workforce gatherings, large meetings, exhibitions and trade shows using short breaks in holiday destinations, the modern Convention Centre will provide space for more than 6,500 persons in its Banquet Hall, Meeting Rooms and dedicated Exhibition Space. While the Banquet Hall will accommodate up to 2,000 persons on 21,000 sqft of floor space, divisible into three sections, the Meeting Rooms will house up to 700 persons on 12,000 sqft of area, divisible into eight break-out rooms. Additionally, the 52,000 sqft Exhibition Space will accommodate 4,000 persons theatre-style, divisible into two halls.
Rose Hall’s attractive setting, good weather and range of value-for-money to luxury accommodation distinguish it from competing Caribbean resorts. In recent years new properties, including The Palmyra Resorts & Spa luxury condominium hotel and Iberostar’s three all-inclusive hotels, have added significantly to the area’s room inventory and choice of accommodation, further enhancing the areas capabilities to service large gatherings and conventions. Outside of Rose Hall, the Montego Bay area offers an even wider range of new and existing accommodation at various price points, which is essential to the city’s capacity to host large gatherings.
The city’s picture-perfect white sand beaches such as the famous Doctor’s Cave Beach, duty free shopping and “Hip Strip” – an entire mile of restaurants and entertainment – are exciting ingredients that enhance the destination’s attractiveness for groups and convention travel. With sports being an increasingly important complementary activity for this kind of traveler, Montego Bay’s five championship golf courses offer another appealing feature. Indeed, the city is rated as the Caribbean’s Best Golf Resort and the Rose Hall area’s three championship courses – White Witch, Cinnamon Hill and Half Moon - are situated within a one mile radius of the Convention Centre and the main hotels. And with a vast amount of team-building adventures and countless unique backdrops, the stage is set for many unforgettable events.
The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce expects the Convention Centre to “add marketing diversity to the Jamaica’s tourism product in an extremely competitive environment.” According to the Chamber, the island already has a good reputation in the international marketplace for putting on high quality shows and it is widely thought that the Convention Centre will spur the creation of unique niches within the meeting & convention market. Additionally, the modern facility will certainly add a major boost to the island’s bid to secure next year’s hosting of the region’s premier travel trade show, Caribbean Marketplace, which is set to kick off the same month as the Convention Centre will be opening its doors, January 2011. Jamaica is competing against the destinations of Cancun and Puerto Rico for the hosting of this prestigious event.
BY DENNIS ERROL MORRISON
Dennis Morrison is a well known Caribbean economist and analyst who formerly occupied the post of Chief Technical Director in the Cabinet Office’s Development Division and served as Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Airport Authority of Jamaica. Central to the creation of Jamaica’s Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, Morrison spearheaded the drive that secured record foreign investment in the sector and under his leadership, the Airport Authority of Jamaica undertook major expansion and modernisation programmes at both Norman Manley (Kingston) and Sangster International Airports (Montego Bay).
With turnover in excess of US$ 150 billion a year, the meeting, incentive, conference and event (MICE) market represents a significant part of the global travel industry. And with the pending opening of the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Jamaica has finally embarked on its quest to become the leading conference destination in the Caribbean.
The Montego Bay Convention Centre is a long awaited addition to the island’s tourism product. To date, lack of substantial meeting space and inadequate facilities have posed major constraints to the development of Montego Bay’s potential in the MICE market. Consequently, Jamaica’s share of this market has been restricted to incentive travel and smaller conferences requiring limited meeting space, with participants accommodated at specific hotels or resort properties. The first-class assembly facilities available at the soon-to-be-open Convention Centre will remove these restrictions. Ideally located in the elegant Rose Hall resort area, the Convention Centre is in close proximity to five major hotels and is a short 15 minute ride from Montego Bay’s world-class Sangster International Airport. And with over 350 flights weekly into Montego Bay, including over 90 from non-stop markets, Jamaica is more accessible to visitors than any other Caribbean island.
The recently completed highway and other infrastructure together with the US$200m re-development and expansion of Sangster International Airport have re-invigorated Montego Bay’s standing as a leading tourism centre and in the past five years, the area has recorded rapid growth in the number of visitors who stay in its resorts. Simultaneously, major investment in the country’s first-world telecommunications system has created a platform for Montego Bay’s emergence as a knowledge services centre. Major players in Back Office Processing and the Call Centre industry have already established operations in the city due to the access to an increasing number of university campuses and tertiary level institutions and the ability to draw upon a trainable workforce.
Home to Jamaica’s second largest port facilities, including a cruise ship pier that accommodates megaliners, the dynamism of Montego Bay’s tourist industry has propelled rapid commercial expansion and the Convention Centre should provide continued momentum for its economy. In addition to exhibitions, the new facility will allow for simultaneous general sessions as well as breakout sessions for large groups. Catering to corporate entities, associations and faith-based organizations that hold retreats, workforce gatherings, large meetings, exhibitions and trade shows using short breaks in holiday destinations, the modern Convention Centre will provide space for more than 6,500 persons in its Banquet Hall, Meeting Rooms and dedicated Exhibition Space. While the Banquet Hall will accommodate up to 2,000 persons on 21,000 sqft of floor space, divisible into three sections, the Meeting Rooms will house up to 700 persons on 12,000 sqft of area, divisible into eight break-out rooms. Additionally, the 52,000 sqft Exhibition Space will accommodate 4,000 persons theatre-style, divisible into two halls.
Rose Hall’s attractive setting, good weather and range of value-for-money to luxury accommodation distinguish it from competing Caribbean resorts. In recent years new properties, including The Palmyra Resorts & Spa luxury condominium hotel and Iberostar’s three all-inclusive hotels, have added significantly to the area’s room inventory and choice of accommodation, further enhancing the areas capabilities to service large gatherings and conventions. Outside of Rose Hall, the Montego Bay area offers an even wider range of new and existing accommodation at various price points, which is essential to the city’s capacity to host large gatherings.
The city’s picture-perfect white sand beaches such as the famous Doctor’s Cave Beach, duty free shopping and “Hip Strip” – an entire mile of restaurants and entertainment – are exciting ingredients that enhance the destination’s attractiveness for groups and convention travel. With sports being an increasingly important complementary activity for this kind of traveler, Montego Bay’s five championship golf courses offer another appealing feature. Indeed, the city is rated as the Caribbean’s Best Golf Resort and the Rose Hall area’s three championship courses – White Witch, Cinnamon Hill and Half Moon - are situated within a one mile radius of the Convention Centre and the main hotels. And with a vast amount of team-building adventures and countless unique backdrops, the stage is set for many unforgettable events.
The Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce expects the Convention Centre to “add marketing diversity to the Jamaica’s tourism product in an extremely competitive environment.” According to the Chamber, the island already has a good reputation in the international marketplace for putting on high quality shows and it is widely thought that the Convention Centre will spur the creation of unique niches within the meeting & convention market. Additionally, the modern facility will certainly add a major boost to the island’s bid to secure next year’s hosting of the region’s premier travel trade show, Caribbean Marketplace, which is set to kick off the same month as the Convention Centre will be opening its doors, January 2011. Jamaica is competing against the destinations of Cancun and Puerto Rico for the hosting of this prestigious event.
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