Although it lacked the substance of last year’s inaugural staging, last Saturday’s second annual national Tourism Service Excellence awards show still had much to recommend it by way of energy and entertainment.

Hosted by the Ministry of Tourism, the black-tie affair which was switched from last year’s venue at the Ritz-Carlton resort to the main ballroom of the Rosehall resort and spa, once again saw the who’s who of Jamaican tourism coming out in impeccable style to pay tribute to the industry’s most excellent individuals and organisations.

However unlike last year’s staging, where in the absence of a full-course meal and other distractions, much more time and emphasis was placed on showcasing the finalists through titillating audio and video clips of them on the job, Saturday’s event leant towards the anti-climatic.

Yes, comperes Paula Anne Porter Jones and Michael Anthony Cuffe were their usual suave selves, but the underutilization of their talents which were admirably engaged to accesorise last year’s presentation of the finalists through informative narratives that built up audience suspense, diluted the otherwise colourful event.

Nevertheless, those who were already well-acquainted with Howard Spittle, the General Manager of Beaches Boscobel and second-time nominee Dean Moriah, the director of the newly-established SuperClubs Foundation were able to clap and cheer with heart-felt gusto as Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett annonced them winners of the organisational and individual categories respectively.

Dr Spittle, a British-born hotelier whose experience spans decades acorss the globe and the relatively younger Moriah whose tireless efforts in philantropy are well-known in tourism circles both expressed delight over their wins.

“It’s a tribute to our organisation and our staff…people ave a lot of affection for the organisation whose enduring strength has always been its staff, said Spittle whose PHD is in hospitality.

It was the second win for Beaches Boscobel, whose Fiona Hartley took top honours in the individual category last year.

Moriah promptly dedicated the win to his grandmother, Isabella who recently turned 100.

“This is very motivating and I intend to take this and inspire others to strive for excellence too,” he said.

Taking the positions of third and second runners-up for the organisational category were Ocho Rios’ Mystic Mountain and the Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa respectively while Mark Cole, a chef at the Hedonism 111 resort in Ocho Rios and Chukka Caribbean Adventures’ Jamaal Morrison took the positions of third and second runners-up respectively.

Topping the regional organisation categories were:

* The Jamaica Pegasus hotel for Kingston;

* Chukka Caribbean Adventures for Montego Bay;

* Sandals for Negril;

*Beaches Boscobel for Ocho Rios;

*Gee Jam for Ocho Rios and

*Jakes hotel for the South Coast.

Individual regional champions were

*Jam Venture Tours’ Dollis Campbell for Kingston;

*Chukka Caribbean Adventures’ Jamaal Morrison for Montego Bay;

*SuperClubs’ Dean Moriah for Negril;

*Hedonism 111’s Mark Cole for Ocho Rios and

*Jakes Hotel’s Andrea Swaby Mclean for the South Coast.

Songbird Judy Emanuel backed by the Bare Essentials band scored another plus for the evening with a string of vintage hits that clearly thrilled the audience. The Iberostar dancers also brought a lot of fun energy to the tables with their deafening, over-the-top, Spanish-flavoured song and dance numbers.

Not to be outdone, the ever-effervescent Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett, brought his own brand of inspiration to the proceedings with an optimistic speech that emphasized the importance of customer service and painted a picture of better days to come for the industry which is on the verge of welcoming full-scale casino gambling on board.

Always a crowd favourite, Richard Russell also pleased with his vote of thanks which– quite rightly–bestowed kudos on Event Director Carrole Guntley and her team for doing the Ministry proud the second time around.