Wed | Apr 22, 2026

Carib Marketplace invades Jamaica

Published:Sunday | January 19, 2014 | 12:00 AM
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At left: From left: Martinique's Director of Tourism, Muriel Wiltord, Guardsman Group's Sheila Benjamin-McNeill, and Valerie Vulcain, marketing manager, Martinique, at a dinner hosted by Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeill, at the White Witch Restaurant in Montego Bay on Monday night.
From left: Oliver McDonna, chairman, Anguilla Tourist Board, Chantelle Davis, director of tourism, Anguilla, Minister of Tourism, Anguilla, Haydn Hughes and Imega Breese McNab of the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association.
It's all smiles for, from left, Sandals Resorts International's Wayne Cummings, Hendrickson Group of Companies' Kevin Hendrickson, and Jamaica Vacations' Paul Pennicook, at Monday night's dinner.
Sister love ... the Ministry of Tourism's Janice Allen (left) and her attorney-at-law sister Nicole Allen, at Monday's dinner.
From left: President of the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association, Brian Pengelley, his wife, Lisa, and Jake's Jason Henzell, at a dinner at the White Witch Restaurant in Montego Bay on Monday night.-Photos by Janet Silvera
From left: Cindy Gerhardt of WestJet Vacations, Stacy Kucharuck share lens time with Jennifer Stacy of J.R. Stacy and Associates, and Urpi Mercado of Aimbridge Hospitality, at a welcome reception at the Jewel Paradise Cove in Runaway Bay last Friday night.-Photos by Janet Silvera
From left: Transat Holiday's Hanen Djebari, Jamaica Tourist Board's Phillip Rose, Air Canada Vacations' Diana Rodriquez, Sunquest's Wayne Nosworthy, and Cindy Gerhardt of WestJet Vacations, at a welcome reception at the Jewel Paradise Cove.
From left: Jewel Runaway Bay's Scott Robbins, BookIt.com's Amanda Moffitt, Orbitz.com's Bill Obrieter, US Airways Vacations' Karen Chute, and the Jamaica Tourist Board's Tony King, at the welcome reception.
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Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:Jewel Paradise Cove, the youngest child in the Aimbridge Resorts family, unveiled its culinary prowess to 30 of the top tour operators from the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States last Friday night in Runway Bay, St Ann.

The buyers who were attending the Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Montego Bay, did a pre-tour of the resort, which is indisputably the most fabulous Jewel Resort on the island.

As awesome as this resort is, and as inspiring as the meal was, coupled with first-class entertainment, the staff were the ones who made an indelible mark on the minds of those who spent last Friday night into Saturday morning with them.

They were a reminder of the good days at the Wyndham Rose Hall, Montego Bay, and the Ladies and Gentlemen of the Ritz-Carlton.

On Monday night, the location was the beautiful White Witch Restaurant, Rose Hall, the view, an 18-hole championship golf course with the Caribbean Sea forming the backdrop.

However, the conversation at the shared Gleaner table was about the curried goat cooked to perfection on Spur Tree Hill, Manchester, and, of course, Della Manley's incredible vocal cords.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Dr Wykeham McNeill, hosted an intimate dinner at the spectacular Rose Hall for government ministers and commissioners from across the region, attending the Marketplace.

Little did he know about the effect this would have on the group of A-listers who have travelled from all over the world. This was
not only about showcasing the crème de la crème of Jamaica, but an evening that allowed tourism stakeholders to fellowship.

From the fabulously decorated venue to the exciting and titillating food prepared by executive chef, Robert Joseph, to the conversations which churned from the lips of Carrole Guntley, Marc Melville, Mark Hart, Tom Tyler, Dennis Hickey and Clyde Harrison, to the quietness that engulfed some of the areas, this was a 'Forget Me Not' evening.

The most extraordinary aspect of this event was having Manley satiate the ears with music and satisfying the soul with rhythm.

Those in attendance included state ministers, Damion Crawford and Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, Senator Noel Sloley, Mayor of Montego Bay, Glendon Harris and his wife, Dr Angella Samuel-Harris, Sheila Benjamin-McNeill, Brian and Lisa Pengelley, Ricky Skerritt from St Kitts, Alexandra Otway-Noel from Grenada, Evelyn and Joseph Smith, Dennis Morrison, Jennifer Griffith, Basil Smith, Janice and Nicole Allen, Anguilla's Haydn Hughes, Bermuda's Shawn Crockwell, and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation's Beverly Doty-Nicholson and Hugh Riley.

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com