MONTEGO BAY, St James – Eric Muthra, a native of Westmoreland who now resides in the US, returned to the island this summer with 60 overseas guests as part of his ongoing effort to sell Jamaica.

Muthra has been helping to build the island’s tourism industry by bringing groups of visitors to the island since 1992 when he brought his first 10-member group to vacation in Montego Bay.

This year, however, he and Guyanese-born Gilbert Duke outdid themselves by putting together the largest group ever. The 60-member group landed at the Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay on Sunday and later checked in at the El Greco Resort in the city.

“It is unbelievable. It is a personal pleasure for me bringing people to Jamaica because we have so much here to offer. Seeing them come here and having such a good time is something you can’t put a price on. They want to come and get to know Jamaica and get to know what Jamaica is all about. From there, it just gets bigger and bigger,” said an excited Muthra from the resort on Sunday afternoon.

He added that his trips to the island each year was not a business venture but rather a mission to share Jamaica with friendsand acquaintances.

“It is not a business venture. It is my vacation time and I say hey, I am going down you know I have friends and they want to know Jamaica. So I just arrange for the group to come on my time. It is not a business venture, really,” he said.

Duke, who has not missed a trip since 1992, was elated to be back in the island he enjoys more than his native Guyana.

“It is a beautiful island and sad to say I enjoy it than my own home town. People have a variety of places to go for vacation and when they come to Jamaica they get exposed to another country,” he said.

He noted that their group grows annually as members spread the word around Toledo in Ohio, where they reside, of the wonderful time they have in Jamaica.