MINISTER of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says that the Jamaica Tourist Board’s (JTB) fully integrated website is transforming its marketing strategies.

He says that Visitjamaica.com now forms part of the JTB’s overall strategy to compete in the ever-changing global marketplace, as well as its attempt to revolutionise its methods of marketing and promoting Jamaica as a destination.

“This new digital platform hosts and promotes all aspects of the destination and provides real-time access and content to tour operators and travel agents globally to be more efficient in marketing Jamaica,” Bartlett told the House of Representatives on Tuesday as he made his contribution to the annual sectoral debate.

He said that the JTB’s digital platform, which is the most powerful and digitally advanced tourism website in the region, is being leveraged as a core component of the digital marketing stack and is the primary campaign call to action offering unique capabilities like: Dynamic content and geo-targeting, which goes beyond traditional marketing to intelligently deliver relevant content to specific audiences; integration with customer-relationship management software to support website initiatives and partner relationships; all resources needed to plan a wedding, event or meeting are there with easy access to booking; and, Six-language options which allow visitors from all over the world to comfortably browse the site and book their next trip.

“This capability will allow us to access the new markets of Latin America, China, India, among others, and allow us to connect with Airbnb to mine data and broaden access to tourism intelligence,” Bartlett said.

He informed the House that an important addition to Jamaica’s tourism product offering is the Montego Bay Convention Centre (MBCC), with its improved facilities and technological capabilities to drive meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions.

“Already, the convention centre has become an important node in driving mega events into Jamaica. For example, we are about to host a mega convention from Petrobras in Brazil, with over 1,000 delegates, and have already hosted the successful UNWTO Global conference on job creations with over 1,000 delegates and the Caribbean and Tourism Marketplace with 1,200 delegates earlier this year,” the minister added.

He said that the continued expansion of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Expeditions) market globally will enable the convention centre to achieve the operational and financial efficiencies required to be self-sufficient.

Turning to new airlift, Bartlett said that the ministry has reimagined Jamaica Vacations (JAMVAC) to create greater capacity to respond to the growing demand for additional airlift into Jamaica, as the country continuously expands deeper in legacy and new markets to secure better global connectivity and have added cruise tourism to their portfolio.

He said that the ministry was pleased to report that the country has had, and will continue to have, a series of new flights into the island by Eurowings (Germany), Copa Airlines (Panama), Westjet (Canada), Swoop (Canada), Sunwing (Canada), Frontier Airlines (USA), Pegas Fly & Norwind (Russia), and LATAM (South America).

Beyond that, the country is in the throes of 1.3 million aeroplane seats for the winter season this year, which incorporates an increase over the last year of: 38,000 seats from the United States; 42,400 seats from Canada; 12,000 seats from Continental Europe; and, 7,455 seats from the United Kingdom and Northern Europe.

He said that he was also happy to report that seat capacity for the destination this summer is 1,400,371, which is 108,872 or 8.4 per cent more than 2018.

The big growth is from the United States — an increase of more than 100,000 seats for the summer period, May through August 2019, compared with the same period 2018, and strong evidence of the confidence US airline partners have placed in Jamaica as a destination.

“The groundwork is laid for the destination to continue our quest for huge increases in numbers of arrivals this summer. Additionally, new gateways will open service to Jamaica including a new charter by Thomas Cook, between Manchester, United Kingdom, and Montego Bay, in another week; Southwest Airlines which will put scheduled service between St Louis, Missouri, and Montego Bay; and Sun Country, which will operate a charter service from Dallas, Texas, to Montego Bay and several more to be announced in short order,” Bartlett stated.

Turning to cruise tourism, he said that the ministry continues to invest in the development of cruise tourism.

“In collaboration with The Port Authority of Jamaica, we are looking at expansion possibilities with our partners, as well as new port possibilities on the north and south coasts and south eastern areas, including Kingston and Port Royal,” he said.

“We are also in the advanced stages of discussion regarding employment of between 10,000 to 15,000 Jamaicans as seafarers and hospitality workers in the cruise sector. This will require collaboration with the ministries of labour and social security and transport and mining,” he added.