Jamaica regains celebrity status
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BY NOVIA McDONALD-WHYTE
Contributing editor
Sunday, February 26, 2006
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JAMAICA appears to have regained its status as one of the top destinations in the world for celebrities.
Indeed, over the last six months a number of celebrities have been jetting to the small island paradise to enjoy more than just the sun, sea and sand.
They are coming for the culture, history, music, cuisine and a whole lot more, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB). The latest celebrities to land in paradise were two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson, hubby Greg Wise (her co-star in Sense & Sensibility) and daughter Gaia.
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| Emma Thompson (2nd right), with (from left) Katrin Casserly, hubby Greg Wise, daughter Gaia and Round Hill managing director Josef Forstmayr. |
The group vacationed at the uber-cashmere chic Round Hill Resort and Villas, which continues to attract the rich and the famous.
Thompson, the only actress to ever win an Oscar for both acting (Howard's End) and writing (Sense & Sensibility), ended up spending two glorious weeks at Round Hill with her family through a chance encounter. She was searching for accommodation when she literally bumped into Round Hill's managing director Josef Forstmayr in the lobby. The rest is history, as they say.
Thompson and Wise, who were visiting Jamaica for the first time, enjoyed the property's superb spa facilities and mingled comfortably with other Round Hill guests. Naturally, they have already made arrangements for a return vacation.
On another Round Hill 'cashmere chic' note, fingers are crossed that Heath Ledger wins an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. Ledger, who has been earning raves from all quarters for his portrayal, was a guest at Round Hill last November.
Over the past six months, the land of sunshine has also been visited by the Duke of Frankfurt, American billionnaire Paul Allen - twice; actor Will Smith and wife Jada; David Bowie, Richard Gere, Eddie Murphy and Carlene Carter, the stepdaughter of late country music legend, Johnny Cash.
Carter's trek to Jamaica early February took her to Cinnamon Hill, where she tied the knot with Los Angeles television personality, Joe Breen.
But it was Allen who made the biggest splash when he pulled into the Montego Bay Harbour early last month in his luxurious US$220-million yacht, the Octopus - the world's third largest luxury vessel.
Allen is the co-founder of software giant, Microsoft.
The McCain family's (McCain Frozen Foods empire) 90-foot yacht was also sighted in the bay early January.
Other regulars to the island include Deborah Schlinder Thaler (Little Black Book) and the Ralph Lauren family
Jamaica's pull, according to the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), could well be attributed to its latest advertising campaign - "Once you go, you know" - which teases vacation seekers and speaks to the uniqueness, distinctiveness and attractiveness of the island.
"Jamaica is vogue again, Jamaica is just hot... that is the feedback we are getting from the marketplace," said director of tourism, Paul Pennicook.
"A well-kept secret is that we do have a lot of these wonderful (quiet getaways) like the Round Hills and the Golden Eyes that for some reason they had not discovered," Paul Pennicook told SunDay. "And Jamaica is now being featured in more films. The celebrities see that, and are now coming down to try it," he added.
The tourism director said the "once you go, you know" ad campaign "seeks to make past visitors proud of having been to Jamaica, and create curiosity in the minds" of those who have never visited the island.
"It is the experience we are talking about," he explained.
"We are making the point that when you go to Jamaica, you leave with (good memories) because Jamaica is more than sun, sea and sand... we also have history, culture and cuisine, which make for a spiritual package. It is the experience that makes it so special," he added.
He said the JTB would continue pushing the same advertising message.
"And incidentally, all these additional airlines that are flying here will also help," he told SunDay. "Every major US carrier is coming to Jamaica. For example, when United Airlines comes here, it brings a certain clientele with it," the tourism director added.
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