KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, is optimistic about the potential benefits Jamaica can derive from the just concluded Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in terms of visitor arrivals from South America.

The country was the toast of the Games, where it mined 11 medals, including six gold, three silver and two bronze, and earned rave reviews for its ‘Jamaica House’ hospitality hub, which attracted over 20,000 patrons.

Bartlett, who attended the Games, said he and members of the government delegation used the opportunity to meet with several travel and media stakeholders for discussions.

These, he said, centred on positioning Jamaica to tap into South America, one of the potential tourism markets being targeted under the administration’s growth strategy.

The minister outlined details of these undertakings during a media briefing at Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston yesterday.

Bartlett said that among the key stakeholders with whom they met were representatives of Brazilian airline Avianca, to discuss the possibility of airlift out of South America into Jamaica.

“We are exploring a route arrangement originating in Ro de Janeiro or Sao Paulo, going into Lima, Peru and into Montego Bay. That is in keeping with a series of other discussions that we have been having,” he noted.

Bartlett said Jamaica is also expected to benefit from extensive media publicity across South America, after consultations with a number of media representatives.

Meanwhile, Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook, who also spoke at the briefing, advised that the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) advertising campaign which commenced airing across Latin America on television sports network ESPN, will continue until the end of September.

Pennicook said this will enable the Ministry and the JTB to leverage the post-Olympic exposure that will be generated, “as viewers will continue to see the images and offerings of our tourism product”.

Bartlett indicated that these and other marketing activities are designed to create the support needed to “enable the movement of visitors from South America to Jamaica”.

Jamaica House in Rio, which was spearheaded by the Jamaica Tourist Board, provided a taste of local culture and cuisine.  It also served as the backdrop for meetings with Jamaica’s government delegation, tour operators, travel partners and international media. It was undertaken at a cost of US$767,000, with support from private-sector partners Digicel, DownSound Records, Red Stripe, Sandals, and J Wray and Nephew.