TELECOMMUNICATIONS provider Digicel announced its partnership with the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and Jamaica Tourist Board to bring Caribbean Marketplace 2011 to Jamaica’s shores. Considered as the most important tourism marketing event in the Caribbean, the event is expected to attract 1,700 delegates from approximately 22 countries.

Digicel Jamaica CEO Mark Linehan commented that, “Digicel fully appreciates the significance of the tourism sector as one of the key engines of economic growth in Jamaica and the Caribbean and so we are delighted to be exclusive telecommunications sponsor of this historic event. This partnership with the JHTA reinforces our commitment to support the strategic stakeholders across the tourism sector to ensure its sustainability and development”.

In the meantime, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, John Lynch added that, “We are pleased to welcome the support of Digicel as Jamaica readies itself to host the premier tourism marketing event of the Caribbean region. Such a relationship shows what can be achieved through strong public and private sector partnership”.

The Caribbean Marketplace will kick off with a grand opening ceremony at the newly built Montego Bay Convention Centre on January 16 with entertainment representative of a cross section of musical genres such as instrumental, jazz, mento and reggae. The event will continue with two days of business networking and negotiating among hospitality buyers around the world and will culminate with a spectacular closing ceremony on January 18, 2011.

Organised annually by the JHTA, this business to business exhibition will provide a unique opportunity for suppliers of tourism products to form new linkages while strengthening existing relationships.