AIR Jamaica, boasting that it managed to save US$45 million last year and with its eyes firmly fixed on saving another $30 million in the next 12 months, Thursday launched their first television ad created exclusively for airing overseas.

The launch comes as the airline tries to drum up business in an increasingly difficult environment.

“The revenue side for Air Jamaica is very important, because it ties in with the national exigency, the national urgency of driving revenue for this country through tourism and trade,” explained the airline’s deputy chairman, Chris Zacca.

“We see our job… to become fully viable, to cut costs, and to boost revenue at a time when the industry is in downturn. The competition is fierce, other destinations are marketing like hell, being extremely aggressive, so we need to be more aggressive than them,” he added.

The new television commercial will add to the airline’s already successful promotions package which includes radio and TV giveaways; events such as the heavily patronised ‘Islands in the Park’ concerts — one of which is being held in New York tomorrow — and other marketing programmes that particularly target Jamaicans living abroad.

According to the airline’s chairman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, the new marketing thrust, in addition to the rebranding of its First Class service to ‘Top Class’, and the move to Terminal 4 at New York’s John F Kennedy Airport, would allow Air Jamaica to “be able to challenge every airline that never flew here, that ever flew here, to treat our nationals with respect”.

International reggae icon Jimmy Cliff appeared at Thursday evening’s launch of the advertisement which will use familiar images of the island and his latest song, Jamaican Time, to market the airline on television stations in North America and Europe.

“The fight for tourists is not a Jamaican/Caribbean fight, it is a worldwide fight, and the task of bringing people to Jamaica has become very sophisticated and very competitive,” Stewart said, as he explained the challenges now facing the tourist trade.

“Within our local community, we believe that because we have white sand beaches, then tourists must come to Jamaica, and we don’t realise that beaches these days come by the thousands,” added Zacca. “(Air Jamaica’s) job is to do the things to move people and to market our way through.”

To do this, said Zacca, Air Jamaica was forced to cut costs and boost revenue in an increasingly difficult environment.

“We are here today at the worst time in the history of aviation, from an economic point of view,” said Zacca.

“Since 9/11, the airlines in the United States have lost more money in two years than they made in the entire history of aviation,” he added.

Air Jamaica stayed afloat, he said, through the team’s “hard work, and lots of sweat, lots of brain power and dedication in cutting costs and improving efficiency”.

Stewart also used the function to introduce several of Air Jamaica’s partners and supporters who flew in especially for the occasion. Among them were US radio talk show hosts Gil Bailey, Duke of Earl and Don Daley, who all spoke glowingly of Air Jamaica’s commitment to their communities abroad.

About 50 participants in the Nova Southeastern Medical Mission, the Dr Paula Anderson-led group which visits the island annually to give free medical treatment to indigents, attended to show their appreciation and to present the airline with a plaque.

This is the first time that Air Jamaica has created and released an ad for national television overseas; yet in 30 seconds, the images — coupled with Cliff’s inspirational tenor — entice visitors to the best of Jamaica.

“Sometimes it is hard to sell Jamaica,” said Stewart, “we have an image of a lot of things that are not good and it restricts our potential, it restricts our yield. However, I think in many ways we have gone a distance, and while we have improved a lot, we still have a distance to go.”