WESTERN BUREAU – Tourism officials are pleased with the number of suppliers and buyers that have turned out for this year’s staging of the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) trade show, currently being held at the Half Moon Conference Centre in Montego Bay.

According to president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Godfrey Dyer, there are 87 supplier companies with 258 delegates attending this year’s trade show, as against 78 companies with 216 delegates last year.

In addition, he said, there are 67 buyers represented by 107 delegates attending this year’s fair as against 54 buyers represented by 82 delegates at last year’s show. Dyer attributed the increase in buyers to the island’s excellent tourism product and the Jamaica Tourist Board’s overseas marketing campaign.

“More and more buyers are interested in Jamaica. More of them want to come to Jamaica and I think this is what accounts for the increase,” the JHTA head said.

Transactions, he added, had taken off on the first day of trading with a number of contracts being signed.

“The reports we are getting is that everybody is doing good business,” he told the Observer on Monday. “Everybody is writing contracts, (which is) a good sign; everybody is just busy. Our first day of business has been a great day.”

Among the companies that officially unveiled their products on day one of this year’s trade fair were Sunset Beach, Caribbean Escapes and Air Jamaica Vacations. Sunset Beach gave an update on its planned expansion of its Montego Bay property and the acquisition of Negril Cabins, which will be renamed Sunset at the Palms Resort and Spa after it has been upgraded. Work is expected to begin on both properties this year and is due to be completed by Winter 2006.

Caribbean Escapes is a programme developed to market 100 of the Caribbean’s finest destinations, in the United States, Canada and Europe. According to principal of the company, Glen D Harris, eight of what are considered to be Jamaica’s finest hotels – including Half Moon, Round Hill, Tryall and Sandals Royal Caribbean – are being promoted by Caribbean Escapes. The advertising package includes spots on television, Internet and a magazine showcase of the destinations.

Dyer noted that there have been buyers from the United Kingdom, Germany and other countries, but the trade fair is being dominated by buyers from the United States and Canada.