JAPEX 2019 fruitful for first-timers

The 2019 staging of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JAPEX) tourism trade show was a fruitful one for many of the suppliers, which spanned ­entities from the ground ­transportation, air lift and accommodations sectors.

One overly elated and satisfied first-timer to the show was the team from Montego Bay-based bus company Real Mystic Transportation and Tours, according to the company’s Director of Sales and marketing Rodcliffe Robertson.

“This is our first year at JAPEX. We learnt about JAPEX on Friday and by Monday we had our display up. It was extremely ­meaningful; extremely good for us. We had a lot of contacts, a lot of business. Even persons who we did not book meetings with came by and were able to book a number of ­businesses,” he told Hospitality Jamaica.

“Some business starts as close as October. We booked some transfers; we have ­weddings in November; we have business for next year and we got invitation to other trade shows in the US and elsewhere, so it has really set a great platform for the ­rebranding that we have done of our ­company,” he added.

SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS

Robertson, who has decades of ­experience in hotel and tourism ­management, could barely contain his excitement, as he explained how the event came to surpass his expectations.

“I have had ­previous experience with JAPEX with other companies, but coming here for the first time, I would shot it a 10 out of 10 because we got more business than we had expected,” he stated, with evident laughter in his voice.

“We were busy all day yesterday. Even today when some ­persons had no ­meetings and so on, we were getting people coming by, saying that they want to meet with us. At the last moments people were coming in,” he added.

General Manager of Frenchman’s Cove Resort Angella Bolton-Trowers said she, too, was satisfied with the business generated during the event, which augurs well for the Portland-based hotel over the upcoming winter tourist season.

“It has been very interesting being here at JAPEX. I have met quite a number of ­contacts, locally and overseas. In terms of the travel agents (in attendance), that was a good component to it. We got to see the faces and names of the other hotel ­players and person in the industry, so we made contact within our own community which, I believe, we will see some fruitful rewards from,” she explained.

“We made a few contacts in terms of ­accommodating persons, plus contacts in terms of if I have guests to be transferred and for Frenchman’s Cove as a place of ­interest. There was a good combination of all areas in tourism that were covered,” she said.

For chief executive officer of local air operator Jam Air, Howard Levy, this year’s showing was satisfactory.

“We got quite a few showings of ­interest and I think it will do us well in the near ­future. But there is always room for ­improvement,” he said.