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2 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Janet SilveraSenior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
ARECENT multimillion-dollar expansion to ChukkaGood Hope in Trelawny has
resulted in the attraction receiving aboost from the domestic tourismmarket.
Several corporate entities areflocking to the local attraction forteam-building exercises, retreats,staff and family fun days, instead ofhopping on an aircraft for anotherCaribbean destination or NorthAmerica.
In the last six months, more than7,400 Jamaicans employed tocompanies such as the JamaicaMoney Market Brokers, RainforestSeafoods, National CommercialBank, The Gleaner, Wray andNephew, Sagicor and Carreras, haveopted to use the Trelawny attractionfor group outings.
“Although we have a number ofChukka attractions on the island,the most popular among Jamaicanscurrently is Good Hope because ofthe diversity it offers,” Chukka’schief executive officer, John Byles,told Hospitality Jamaica last week.
Byles noted that the groups rangebetween 32 and 1,200, the latterbeing the largest number they canaccommodate.
“We cater to all ages and allsectors. We have something for
everyone, including a 9,000-square-foot aviary of indigenous and exoticbirds, a swimming pool andchildren’s play area, adult challengecourse and a Colonial Village.”
In fact, the Colonial Villagefeatures an Appleton Estate RumBar, Jablum Coffee House andWalkerswood Jerk Hut, where guestscan see, smell, touch and tastelocally manufactured products.
The attraction also recentlyintroduced new park passes offeringsomething for every guest visiting,“whether you’re seeking adventure,culture or leisure”, said Byles.
The activities are supplementedwith bounceabout, gem mining andhorse and carriage, which he said arefavourites among the children whovisit.
For adults, Byles said there was afull range of nature adventureactivities intertwined in the 250-yearhistory that the property boasts.
“This includes ATVs, dunebuggies, zip line adventures, rivertubing, and the great house andplantation tours,” said Byles.
The Chukka CEO declared thatdomestic tourism is helping tosustain Good Hope, pointing outthat Trelawny is perfectly situated inalmost the middle of the country,and as a result, Jamaicans comingfrom either end of the islandbenefit from this.
Byles’ optimism is shared by
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Children of staff at Rainforest Seafoods equipped with their safety gear before going swimming atChukka Good Hope.
A pretty pose from some members of the Cornwall Regional Hospital team who visited Chukka Good Hope in 2014. Inset: Members of the Cornwall RegionalHospital team enjoying every moment of Chukka Good Hope.
Domestictourismhelps sustainCHUKKA
Domestictourismhelps sustainCHUKKACorporate clientsflock the localattraction
Corporate clientsflock the localattraction
Rainforest Seafoodsstaff arriving for a dayof fun.
HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 3WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Rainforest Seafoods’ chief executiveofficer, Brian Jardim, who in atestimonial recently spoke of theexperience exceeding his and hisstaff’s expectations.
Rainforest took 1,000 staff membersto the attraction last October.
“The Chukka team was a delight towork with – from their attention tothe smallest of details, their responseto all of our questions and concerns,and their efforts to accommodate thediverse needs of our group. We weretreated to a great day filled withdelicious food, engagingentertainment and a wide range ofactivities from zip lining to rivertubing. I can highly recommendChukka for corporate gatherings. TheRainforest team will certainly beback,” he said.
Other Chukka attractions doingreasonably well with locals are thesignature Horseback Ride and Swimat the White River Valley in St Mary,the Catamaran and Dunn’s RiverExperience.
“Occasionally, locals book thecatamaran for parties and weddingreceptions,” said Byles.
Brides, he said, have had their ‘trashthe dress’ with the horseback ride,going to cliff side of Chukka Farms inOcho Rios. They have also hostedseveral weddings at Good Hope andthe Cranbrook location in St Ann.
As it relates to team-buildingexercises, Byles explained that thecompanies usually visit with 20 to 60of its team members for activities suchas branding, contact tubing andsponge war.
“They are placed in a closed areaand are required to push each other,the idea is not to be pushed to theedge of the pool. It shows them how towin as a team,” said Byles.
Team-building exercises have been astaple at the attraction for the last sixyears.
Face painting is one of theactivities offered for childrenwho are part of a largecorporate group.
Food time for the Rainforest Seafoods staff. Relaxation at its best. Other members of the NCB Groupmaking the best of their day at Chukka.
A member of The GleanerCompany team gets ready togo zip lining.
National Commercial Bank staff getting ready to ride the zip line.
The Wray and Nephew tasting classes are always a hit.
A Gleaner representative checking out the Challenge Course,which is suitable for both adults and children. It is an obstaclecourse suspended in the air.
Karrie WilliamsHospitality Jamaica Writer
AMID GROWING concernover the diversion of millionsof tourism dollars from the
cruise shipping town of Falmouth,Trelawny to other resort areas,stakeholders are renewing calls foran urgent expansion of the town tofacilitate improved commercialactivities.
Currently, the plans that are on theagenda to facilitate the town’sexpansion include a removal of thevendors’ market and thetransportation centre from theircurrent locations at the interior of thetown to the outskirts, heading awayfrom Falmouth towards the directionof Martha Brae, along Market Street.
According to Garth Wilkinson,Falmouth’s mayor, these plans havebeen around long before the 2011opening of the town’s cruise shippingpier. However, Wilkinson claims thatdue to inept marketing of Falmouth asa tourism destination, the plans forexpansion never materialised, astourists were diverted elsewhere.
“What we want to do is move thetown in a particular direction going
towards Martha Brae for ease ofcommerce. Moving the market wouldbe the precedent for everything elsebecause we could not even declarethe town a resort town until we movethe market,” Wilkinson said.
“When Falmouth pier was firstopened back in 2011, the thenminister of transport and works, MikeHenry’s negotiations were to get thetourists to move from Falmouth toMontego Bay or into Ocho Rios.They marketed Falmouth as 25minutes from Montego Bay and 35
minutes from Ocho Rios. Falmouthwas not sold as a destination, and welost out on the initial visitors.
“What we are grappling with now,all of that money was in place in2011. In fact, the commitment thatwas given to the parish council wasthat the market and thetransportation centre would havebeen relocated before the pieropened, but it was never honoured,”the mayor added.
With Falmouth now said to bebursting at its seams largely due to
an influx of vendors coming into thetown to harvest its tourismopportunities, Dr Lee Bailey,Montego Bay businessman andoperator of Caribbean CruiseShipping and Tours, told HospitalityJamaica that swift action wasneeded to improve the town’s appealto visitors so locals can in their ownright benefit more directly from thecruise business.
“A whole series of issues needs tochange because, currently, thepeople in Falmouth are not directlybenefiting from the huge number oftourists that are going there,” Baileysaid.
“No town has ever experiencedthat large number of tourists inJamaica that is being exposed toFalmouth at the moment. On anygiven day, you have up to 12,000visitors, including crew. Anytimeyou can have the ratio of touristmatching the population, personsshould benefit significantly,indirectly or directly.”
Meanwhile, Wilkinson shared avision to not only have the town ofFalmouth appealing to tourists, butalso to the local population, which
has grown tremendously within thelast four years since the pier opened.
“Over 4,000 homes have beenadded to the parish over the pastfour years, and all these householdsin Holland Estates, Stonebrook andFlorence Hall don’t come intoFalmouth to shop. They prefer to goall the way to Ironshore or MontegoBay, so we have to find a way toattract the persons who live in ourparish to actually do business in ourparish,” Wilkinson said.
Siding with the mayor, Dr Baileypointed out that it was also veryimportant to discuss alldevelopmental plans for the townwith the residents of Falmouth priorto their enactment. He is also of theview that the current market siteshould be preserved for its historicalvalue.
“As far as that market isconcerned, it’s a historical site andshould have a large museum inthere and entertainment on a dailybasis. However, they are not toattempt to do this without thepeople of Falmouth involved in it;the people have to buy into it, this isvery important,” he stressed.
4 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Falmouth needs expansionPHOTO BY JANET
SILVERA
The Courthouse in Falmouth.
FalmouthPost
Office.
HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 5WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
At left: Entrance leading to the Cliff Hanger.
Errol Hanna
Reviving tourism in the eastGareth Davis SrHospitality Jamaica Writer
HOMETOWN BOY ErrolHanna is pursuing his life-long dream of generating
interests in East Portland, theparish where tourism started.
Hanna is investing in theconstruction of vacation homesand cabins to attract stopovervisitors and honeymooners.
The Portland businessman, whopurchased the Rass Craig propertyin 1992, which comprises sevenacres of beach-front propertyoverlooking the Caribbean Sea,encountered many challengesincluding a sliding dollar beforedeciding to kick-start the long-overdue development.
“Portland is dear to my heart,”he stated, adding, “It is also themost beautiful parish islandwidewith its lush vegetation, pristinebeauty, and friendly people.”
This property is probably themost picturesque and it is neatlysituated on a cliff. The first block ofvacation homes and rooms is underconstruction, and upon completion,17 rooms will be added to thealready 450 or so rooms that areavailable in the parish as it relatesto occupancy.”
And with the opening of CliffHanger Restaurant, Lounge, and
Grill in August 2014, the localpeople, including businessoperators and hoteliers, along withtourists, continue to flock thefacility, while partaking in finedining, socialising, and enjoying theambience.
“This is a true example of finedining at an upscale facility inPortland,” commented formerminister of information, Daryl Vaz,who visited Cliff Hanger recently,accompanied by his wife, Ann-Marie.
Vaz added, “This is a propertyenriched by its natural look andthe use of local resources,including bamboo, which is quitevisible on its construction. Theservice is impeccable and the foodis great. The lawn is captivated byits well-preserved vegetation, andfor me, it is now one of the mostsought-after tourist attraction sitein Portland.”
Another high point for the RassCraig property is its skilfullyconstructed log cabins –
resembling a family home, with aswimming pool and a bar area forthose inclined to savour the manyalcoholic and non-alcoholicbeverages. The cabins, which areconstructed using a variety of localwood including blue mahoe, pine,teak, and cedar, are preserved so asto adequately combat the salty airfrom the nearby sea.
With a staff complement ofapproximately 35 persons,including construction workers,ground staff, maintenance, kitchen
staff, waiters and bartenders, theoperations at the Rass Craigempire has been fully endorsed byhoteliers who have dined at thefacility, including GordonTownsend of Bay View Villas andSpa, Marlyn Goofe of SimpleNatural Resorts, and DavidHemmings, operator of SeasideVillas.
Hanna pointed out that a totalof 70 rooms are to be constructed.
“Three other blocks will beconstructed, thus adding another53 rooms to the 17 that arecurrently under construction.”
According to him, rooms arebadly needed in Portland, but thepresent road condition, which is ina deplorable state, especially EastPortland, does not augur well fortourism, therefore, the basicinfrastructure needs to beimproved as it relates to road,light, and bushing of the roadways.
The units will comprise one, twoand three bedrooms fitted withbathrooms, and this will createfurther job opportunities for atleast 25 additional local residents.
“Our staff is highly trained intourism and hospitality management,which allows them to relate toguests efficiently. Additionally, wecater for weddings and receptions,special events, and otherfunctions,” said Hanna.
One of the log cabins at Rass Craig.
6 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Record touristarrivals, earningsfor the CaribbeanTHE CARIBBEAN welcomed a record 26.3
million tourists in 2014, a 5.3 per cent riseover the previous year. These visitors spent
US$29.5 billion, itself a record.The chairman of the Caribbean Tourism
Organisation (CTO), Richard Sealy, and thesecretary general, Hugh Riley, along with theCTO’s director of research, Winfield Griffith,announced the record performance at a newsconference streamed live to a global audience fromthe CTO headquarters today.
“Last year, we received more visitors than everbefore, recording our fifth straight year of growth asa region, and visitors spent more money in theCaribbean than they ever did before,” said Sealy,also Barbados’ minister of tourism and internationaltransport
“There was strong demand throughout 2014,and I am particularly pleased with our performanceduring the summer period when our growth ratewas almost twice that of the summer of 2013,” headded.
The 26.3 million visitors represent 1.3 millionmore than in 2013, itself a record year for theCaribbean. These visitors contributed a recordUS$29.5 billion to Caribbean economies, a 3.9 percent rise over the US$28 billion that visitors spent in2013.
“With a strong year for air travel, a positiveperformance by the accommodation sector, solid
growth in cruise visits, and faster-than-expected risein stay-over arrivals, the Caribbean TourismOrganisation is pleased to report that the state ofCaribbean tourism is sound,” stated Riley.
The US continues to be the region’s primarymarket, with nearly 13 million Americans – justunder half of the total arrivals – to the region.Canada rallied from a flat performance in 2013 topost a 5.7 per cent increase, while Europe topped fivemillion visitors for the first time since 2008,registering a 4.6 per cent increase over 2013.
AIRLINE SEAT CAPACITY
“There’s no doubt that political and economicconditions, increased airline seat capacity, improvedairport facilities, increased room stock, as recognisedhotel chains established themselves in ourdestinations, and new initiatives in the marketplaceall contributed to this success,” Riley added.
The 5.3 per cent rise which the region recordedwas above the global growth rate of 4.7 per centannounced by the United Nations body, the UnitedNations World Tourism Organisation, and nearlytwice the predicted two per cent to three per centgrowth.
According to Griffith, leisure travel is showingsteady demand again as the economies in the mainmarkets continue signs of resurgence. Thisheightened demand significantly benefited theCaribbean and is evident in the record number ofvisitors.
THE BUSINESS OF TOURISM
VISITOR ARRIVALS to the Caribbeanare again increasing. This is good news,but not the whole story.
As has now been widely reported,preliminary figures collated by theCaribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO)in their recent State of the IndustryReport showed that a total of 26.3 millionvisitors chose the Caribbean for land-based vacations in 2014. This was a 5.2per cent increase over the 25 million whotravelled to the region the year before.
According to CTO, the bestperforming Caribbean destinations, interms of numbers, were the DominicanRepublic with a 9.6 per cent increase to5.1 million visitors in 2014; Aruba, whichwas up by 9.5 per cent to one millionarrivals; and Cuba, up by 5.3 per cent tojust over three million travellers. Jamaica’sstay-over arrivals increased by 3.6 percent to two million visitors.
The figures do not include cruise shiparrivals, which jumped by eight per centin 2014 to 24 million, with the cruisedestinations showing the greatestgrowth being The Bahamas, Cozumel,the Cayman Islands, St Maarten,Jamaica, and Puerto Rico.
Although the figures demonstratethat at last a stable region-wide tourism-led recovery is underway, the headlinefigures tell us little about what parts ofthe industry are prospering, whether ithas returned to profitability, or theextent to which Caribbean hoteliers,service providers, or the Caribbeaneconomy are benefiting.
MODEST IMPROVEMENT
What appears to be happening isdespite an only modest improvement inthe global economy, visitors are gettingtheir appetite back for the Caribbean.This appears to be because disposableincome is growing again, particularly inthe traditional markets in North Americaand Europe, as well as in new feedermarkets in Latin America. It alsocoincides with the opening of importantnew gateways like Panama City and a sixper cent increase in airlift to the region asthe carriers slowly move back into surplus.
Particularly noticeable in 2014, andreflecting, for instance, a greaterwillingness of the middle class to return tolong-haul travel, was the significantgrowth in arrivals in 2014 during thelower-cost summer period, when visitornumbers almost doubled on those theyear before.
That said, Caribbean tourism is anindustry crying out for greater publicstatistical analysis.
For instance, what the CTO statistics,as important as they are, do not reveal inany detail is whether, for example, theheavy room rate discounting after 2008has receded, whether the yield per bednight has increased to pre-2007 levels,and whether the increase in visitorarrivals is happening rapidly enough toreturn the industry to long-termprofitability.
The CTO did report that an analysis ofdata provided by Smith Travel Research,the US company which tracks the overallperformance of the hotel sector, revealedthat Caribbean hotels earned morerevenue in 2014, that room occupancyrates improved slightly, and averagerevenue per available room was up 5.7 percent. However, it did not indicate howthis was spread across the industry or ifthese averages are enough to enable olderor tired Caribbean properties toundertake the upgrades and training thatsome so badly need.
The figures also do not indicate thetypes of properties where visitors are nowstaying.
Over the past five to 10 years, there hasbeen a dramatic growth in chain hotelsacross the region, in boutique hotelsaimed at upscale visitors, and in thenumbers of rooms available incondominiums, villas or apartments.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that chainhotels, boutique hotels, and city centrehotels, in the case of Jamaica andTrinidad, are doing well, while indestinations like Barbados, villas andcondominiums are proving particularlypopular and drawing visitors away frommore traditional properties. If this iscorrect, it suggests that some hotels in theregion may not be prospering or able totake advantage of the upswing in arrivals.
Speaking after the CTO hadannounced the 2014 tourism arrivalsfigures, the organisation’s chair, RichardSealy, Barbados’ minister of tourism,noted that the Caribbean’s tourismindustry was vital for the creation ofopportunities for the people of the regionand critical to the promotion of economicdevelopment.
His message is an important one. Asthe industry recovers and as stabilityreturns, it is now so necessary to lookbeyond the arrival figures.
FILE
Tourists enjoy the beach in Negril, Westmoreland.
DavidJessop
Time to look beyond the numbers
ADVERTISEMENT HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 7WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
8 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 9WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
TO REACH DoretteAbrahams at her AlbionHeights, St Thomas location,
I had to walk over two steep inclinesup a hill.
The first one was manageable,but the second one gave my calvesa massive workout. Frankly, I didn’tmind; I need the exercise. Andthen the view of the sea wascompensation for my hard work.
I had gone to chat with Abrahamsabout her rabbit-rearing business,but I was not prepared to hear aboutthe social and sexual habits ofrabbits, which, at one time werepopular pets here in Jamaica. Iremember people going aroundsearching for the Spanish Needleplants to feed rabbits.
I also remember people sayingrabbit meat was excellent for weak-blooded people, and there was thisjoke about how a Chiney mandescribed a rabbit: “Labbay, longhay, short tay, fava poo, but nopoo,” it was claimed he said.Translation: “Rabbit, long ears,short tail, looks like a puss, but nota puss.” And, of course, rabbitshave the reputation for breeding asif there were no tomorrow.
And so, when describing howfertile these cute and cuddlycreatures are, Abrahams went intoa sarcastic depth by saying evenwhen they are already pregnant,they can be impregnated again.Thus, because of their penchant formultiple pregnancies, the males andthe females are kept in separatecompartments.
When Abrahams sees it is timefor mating, the does are brought tocommingle with the bucks, andthen returned to their ‘yard’.There is no shacking up, nooverpopulation, no famine. Thepregnant ones are kept on the‘maternity ward’. When it is timefor delivery, the expectant mothers
pull out their fur to make beds fortheir naked babies.
And although males and femalesare separated, that doesn’t stop‘Bully Buck’, from finding ways andmeans of finding the females. He isthe ‘gallis’ in Abrahams’ rabbitcommunity, and has to be heavilymonitored. When HospitalityJamaica visited, he was alone in acage with a female. The satiatedones were crouched beside eachother, moving only their noses.
There was a little nip on BullyBuck’s nose, seemingly obtained inthe throes of passion. They do havetheir violent moments, especiallywhen a little miss is not in the moodor playing hard to get. Yes, just aswith humans, these Leporidae havetheir moments of pretentiousness.And then the next moment,especially when they are in heat,everything is all noisy and bedlam.
They also have their‘gastronomic’ moments, if you will.For in their mating rituals, thebucks have a habit of sniffing andtasting a certain delicacy that thedoes possess. It’s as natural asnatural can be, and the does are notcomplaining, neither are ErykaBadu or Millie Jackson. If you areold enough to know what I amtalking about.
And where there is a gallis, thereis a ‘skettel’, that unchaste, looseand ‘generous’ female. In Dorette’s
rabbit kingdom, there is one. She,who wants to go all over the place,sharing the love. Like Bully, she willfind a way out of her confinementto be with the boys. So she is keptin a separate hutch, fortified toprevent her from escaping whennature calls.
But of all the stories and mythsabout rabbits I have heard, thisparticular one is the most interesting,laughable, perhaps. So, here goes.The male kittens (young rabbits) arekept by themselves. When they reachpuberty and their hormones areraging, some attempt to get intimatewith the others, and that is whenviolence rages on four legs.
They who are not into being‘jumped’ by their brothers turnaround and bite off their brothers’testicles, castrating them.Sometimes, the mangled testiclesare left dangling.
“What I do when I notice it, Idon’t cut it off, and nature itselfheals it, and they go on livingcontentedly,” Abrahams toldHospitality Jamaica.
The stories and the candour withwhich Abrahams narrated themgave me much laughter, and I cameaway thinking we humans are sodifferent from these long-earedcreatures, but we are so alike. It’s alife of comfort and pleasure theserabbits lead, but I’d rather be me.Dorette Abrahams caresses Bully Buck, the ‘gallis’.
PHOTOS BY PAUL H. WILLIAMS
Rabbit manure, such asthat in these bags, is verynourishing to the soil. Is it
because the rabbitsthemselves are so fertile?
Some ofDoretteAbrahams’male (buck)rabbits.
Rabbit breederDorette Abrahamsof Albion Heights,St Thomas, is aspiritual person,who is anordained Yorubapriest.
Male rabbitsare said to
bite off eachother’s
testicles inresponse to
unwantedadvances.
The GALLISand the
SKETTEL
GALLIS
SKETTEL
10 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Canadian visitors f lock toJamaica in record numbersTHE JAMAICA Tourist Board
(JTB) is pleased to announcethat 2014 was a hallmark
year for Canadian visitor arrivals tothe destination. A record 419,898Canadian visitors was tallied for2014 (January to December), anincrease of 5.2 per cent over2013. This figure is the highestnumber of annual Canadianvisitor arrivals recorded to date.
“We are thrilled to report ourbest year ever in terms of Canadianvisitors to Jamaica,” said PhilipRose, regional director of Canadafor the JTB.
“It is clear that Canadians loveJamaica and continue to visit yearafter year as well as tell theirfriends about their experience.”
Rose expressed gratitude forJamaica’s travel partners andcredited them with much of thissuccess.
“We couldn’t reach theseimpressive numbers without thehard work and dedication of ourtravel agent partners whorecommend and sell Jamaica totheir clients on a daily basis. Inaddition, we count on our touroperators, airlines, resorts andattractions partners tocontinuously deliver anunforgettable experience tovisitors.”
Jamaica is easily accessible vianon-stop flights from most majorCanadian gateway cities. Alluringsunscapes, lush mountain
backdrops, friendly people, spicyflavours and island beats makeJamaica the vibrant heart of theCaribbean and one of the topdestinations for Canadiantravellers. Jamaica is trulyunique, with her gifts to theworld including reggae music,fine rum, exquisite coffee andjerk seasoning. The island is alsohome to the widest variety ofattractions in the Caribbean,from stunning waterfalls tocycling tours in the BlueMountains, to some of theregion’s best golf courses.
The Marley brothers (fromleft) Ky-Mani, Julian andDamian were sublime intribute to their father and latereggae icon, Bob Marley, atthe commemoration of thepatriarch’s 70th birthday. Thebrothers were among animpressive list of reggaeartistes who gave scintillatingperformances to honour thelife and times of the reggaelegend on February 7.Dubbed Redemption Live,the Digicel-sponsored eventwas held at Kingston’swaterfront and featured JudyMowatt, Marcia Griffiths, I-Octane, Freddie McGregorTessanne Chin, Richie Spice,Capelton and Iba Mahr.
CELEBRATING REGGAE MONTH:Reggae royalty, Marcia Griffiths, is oneof this year’s headliners for ReggaeMonth. Known as The Queen ofReggae, Marcia gave a mesmerisingperformance during one of the many liveconcerts commemorating ReggaeMonth in February. Reggae Monthhighlights the impact of reggae on theisland’s social, cultural and economicdevelopment. Organised by the JamaicaReggae Industry Association, themonth-long event includes concerts,festivals and seminars.
KUDOS TO NEGRIL INTERNATIONAL VOLLEYBALL CLASSIC: Some 10 teams participated in the NegrilInternational Volleyball Classic, held at the Long Bay Beach Park 1, recently. Participants included teams fromBrazil, Norway, the United States, Canada, Colombia, and Jamaica. The team from Canada, featuring Canada’snumber-one Olympic Beach Volleyball team member, Dr Josh Binstock, and his teammate, Steve Delany, were thewinners in the male category. The duo of Junita Manhall and Patricia Olesen copped the female category. Teammembers are shown above with Granville Morgan (right), sales representative the Jamaica Tourist Board. Theevent was sponsored by Jamaica Sport, an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment.
HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 11WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Tourism figures continue upward trendFront-desk agent is Secrets’ Employee of the Year
Barrington FlemmingHospitality Jamaica Writer
JAMAICA’S TOURISMindustry continues to logimpressive arrival figures deep
into the winter season with themonth of January recording a sevenper cent increase in stopoverarrivals.
Paul Pennicooke, director oftourism, disclosed the figures whileaddressing the 2014 Staff Awards ofthe Secrets Resort and Spa recently,which was held under the theme,Dazzling Divas, Dashing Dudes –Better than the Rest.
Pennicooke said the fact that thecountry had to be grappling withstringent International MonetaryFund conditions had many thinkingthat the outlook for the industry in2014 was bleak and that growth wasonly a pipe dream.
“It was to the credit of workers inthe industry as well that the industrysaw growth of over seven per cent invisitor arrivals to the island in 2014.Stopover visitors increased by 3.6 percent and cruise arrivals went up by12 per cent. The momentum hascontinued into 2015, with the
preliminary figures indicating that themonth of January saw a seven percent increase in stopover arrivals, andin the first week of February, we had a7.3 per cent increase in visitorarrivals.”
Pennicooke said as a destination,
Jamaica still had a lot of work to do,but indicated that there was aturning, based on the positiveperformance in the past year.
Meanwhile, Phillipa Hutchinson,front desk agent, was the toast of theawards, copping the coveted
Employee of the Year title and the46-inch flat screen television thatwent along with it.
“I was so surprised; honestly, Inever imagined it would have beenme. A lot of other persons haveworked just as hard, so I was notthinking that I had actually beenconsidered so highly. It’s a greatfeeling,” Hutchinson said.
Shane Myrie of Housekeeping wasthe runner-up, while ShreenRichards of Food and Beverage tookthe third-place spot.
Shereen Facey Thelwell, eventsmanager, took the Leader of the Yeartitle.
The awards featured theinimitable Ashe Ensemble, whoexcited with a pleasing rendition ofFantasia’s The Other Side of theRainbow and a medley of Jamaicansongs, aptly dubbed, Hit Me withMusic.
The entertainment fare alsoincluded John Davis, a violinistfrom England, who soared on thewings of classics with a wide-ranging repertoire, includedtraditional Jamaican folk songs,songs from the movies and JohnLegend’s hit single, All of Me.
A smiling Phillipa Hutchinson (second left), front desk agent, issurprised and happy to be the recipient of a 46 inch flat screentelevision set and trophy after copping the Employee of theYear Award for Secrets Resorts and Spa recently. Making thepresentation are (from left) Emilio Huhn, general manager;Andrea Allie-Thorpe, human resources director; and DerykMeany, resident manager.
Governmentsrecognisebenefits of visafacilitationVISA FACILITATION hasexperienced strong progress inrecent years, particularlythrough the implementation ofvisa-on-arrival policies,according to UNWTO’s latestVisa Openness Report. Thislargely reflects an increasedawareness among policymakersof the positive impacts of visafacilitation on tourism andeconomic growth.
According to the report, 62per cent of the world’spopulation was required to havea traditional visa prior todeparture in 2014, down from 77per cent in 2008. In the sameyear, 19 per cent of the world’spopulation was able to enter adestination without a visa, while16 per cent could receive a visaon arrival, as compared to 17 percent and six per cent in 2008.
The report also shows that themost prevalent facilitationmeasure implemented has been‘visa on arrival’. Over half of allimprovements made in the lastfour years were from ‘visarequired’ to ‘visa on arrival’.
“Visa facilitation is central tostimulating economic growthand job creation throughtourism. Although there is muchroom for improvement, we arepleased to see that a growingnumber of governments aroundthe world is taking decisive stepsin this regard,” said UNWTOsecretary-general, Taleb Rifai.
Countries in the Americas andin Asia and the Pacific havebeen at the forefront of visafacilitation, while Europe andMiddle East have morerestrictive visa policies. Overall,emerging economies tend to bemore open than advanced ones,with South-East Asia, EastAfrica, the Caribbean andOceania among the most opensub-regions.
“UNWTO forecasts internationaltourist arrivals to reach 1.8 billion by2030, and easier visa procedures willbe crucial to attract thesetravellers, especially touristsfrom emerging source marketslike China, Russia, India andBrazil,” added Rifai.
PHOTO BY BARRINGTON
FLEMMING
Leader (Manager) of theYear Shereen Facey-
Thelwell (second left),events manager at SecretsResorts and Spa, accepts
her gift of a 46-inch flat-screen television.
Presenting from (from left)are Emilio Huhn, general
manager; Andrea Allie-Thorpe, human resource
director; and Deryk Meany,resident manager.
12 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Hotel foundationacceptingscholarshipapplicationsCARIBBEAN STUDENTS and industryprofessionals are encouraged to apply for ascholarship from the Caribbean Hotel andTourism Association Education Foundation(CHTAEF) so they can pursue highereducation or professional development in thetourism and hospitality field. Scholarships areawarded with support from CHTAEF sponsorsincluding Virgin Holidays, IntervalInternational, FirstCaribbean InternationalBank, Johnson & Wales University and FloridaInternational University.
CHTAEF is accepting applications for itsscholarship programme until March 30, 2015.Applications are available in English and Spanish via:caribbeanhotelandtourism.com/CHTAEFapplication.php or by contacting the local hotelassociation in the applicant’s country.Applications must be submitted with theapproval of the applicant’s local hotelassociation in order to be considered.
Scholarships are awarded for study at anyapproved college or university including, butnot limited to, the University of West Indiesand local community colleges throughout theCaribbean.
Scholarship recipients will be advised of theirapproval status, and if accepted, the amount oftheir award no earlier than May 25, 2015.
“Education and training are essential in orderto be successful in any work field and throughour scholarship programme, CHTAEF is offeringstudents and professionals financial assistance topursue their careers in the hospitality andtourism industry,” said Richard S. Kahn,chairman of CHTAEF.
“Since 1987, we have awarded approximatelyUS$2 million in scholarships and grants toapplicants, and we have observed manysuccessful scholarship recipients buildexemplary careers in the tourism andhospitality industry,” said Kahn.
In 2014, CHTAEF awarded US$136,308 inscholarships to 29 Caribbean nationals pursuinga higher education or professional developmentin hospitality and tourism after receiving morethan 60 applications.
CHTAEF awards worthy Caribbeannationals who demonstrate a strongcommitment to the hospitality and tourismindustry with scholarship money to enhanceor further their expertise. This includesacademic tuition scholarships, short-courseprofessional development tuitionscholarships, work experience placementopportunities, and grants for tourism andhospitality teachers for furthering theireducation or to gain industry workexperience.Contact:[email protected] orcall 571-436-4386 for more information.
Sandals Foundation team members from the Ocho Rios region, along with community members, assiduously rid thebeach of more than 100 bags of garbage.
‘Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica’Sandals Foundation cleans Fisherman’s Beach
IN SUPPORT of the JamaicaEnvironment Trust’s (JET) recentlylaunched Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica
campaign, the Sandals Foundation cleanedup Fisherman’s Beach in St Ann’s Bay,taking away more than 100 bags filled withgarbage.
“The Sandals Foundation carries outbeach clean-ups as part of our efforts inpreserving not just our surroundings onland, but the marine ecosystem as well,” saidHeidi Clarke, director of programmes for theSandals Foundation.
“We commend the JamaicaEnvironment Trust for the steps they’retaking to raise awareness of the destructiveimpact that improper waste disposal has onour country. We support the Nuh DuttyUp Jamaica campaign and call foreveryone to do their part in keeping ourenvironment clean.”
The Sandals Foundation team,comprising 70 volunteers from SandalsGrande Riviera, Beaches Ocho Rios andSandals Royal Plantation, as well asmembers of nearby communities, cametogether last Friday to remove the refusewhich made the Fisherman’s Beach area amajor eyesore. Volunteers spent theafternoon gathering debris which hadflowed through the drainage system on itsway to the beach.
Councillor Desmond Gilmore, mayor ofSt Ann’s Bay, said he was happy with thelarge turnout of volunteers and the prideshown by members of nearby communities.
“What I have seen here today is prettyamazing,” the mayor said.
“The Sandals Foundation has made astep forward and demonstrated to thecountry and the local community whatgood corporate citizenship is all about. It isup to Jamaicans to stop littering ourisland.”
Speaking on behalf of the SandalsFoundation, Lyndsay Isaacs noted: “TheSandals Foundation is committed toplaying its part in support of the NuhDutty Up Jamaica campaign. It is not justabout cleaning up garbage once it’s there,it’s about health and safety, continuousand proper waste disposal, and using thereceptacles provided,” Isaacs noted.
Michael Johnson, who journeyed toFisherman’s Beach from Steer Town toassist the Sandals Foundation team, said
he was grateful for the assistance andpledged to take back the message of theimportance of garbage disposal to hiscommunity.
“The Sandals team is not just here oncein a while, but they are a big part of thecommunity. We thank them for theirefforts and hope that more companiesreplicate what they are doing,” Johnsonsaid.
The Sandals Foundation’s largest beachclean-up effort is in support of the annualInternational Coastal Clean-up Day, thelargest one-day volunteer event in theworld. In 2014, the Sandals Foundationcoordinated 10 sites in Jamaica andremoved close to 2,500 pounds of wasteand debris.
Sandals team members from the Ocho Rios region, along with communitymembers, pose with more than 100 bags of garbage collected from theFisherman’s Beach.
HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 13WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
First internationaltourism expo in the CaribbeanTHE PUERTO Rico TourismCompany announced that ETI –Expo de Turismo Internacional, thefirst international tourism expo inthe Caribbean, will take place atthe Puerto Rico ConventionCentre, May 13-16, 2015. Theinaugural international tourismexpo, ETI – Puerto Rico, isdesigned to showcase the beauty,sports, nature, adventure andgastronomic experiences availablethroughout the Caribbean andbeyond, bringing together membersof the tourism industry from acrossthe globe.
“In planning for this event andwith input from local and regionalorganisations such as the CaribbeanTourism Organisation and thePuerto Rico Hotel & TourismAssociation, we are confident thatthis event has the potential to be amainstay on the internationalcalendar of tourism events,” saidIngrid I. Rivera Rocafort, executivedirector of the Puerto Rico tourismcompany, organisers of ETI.
The Puerto Rico ConventionCentre is the largest and mosttechnologically advanced businessconference venue in the Caribbean.
The centre is located in the heart ofSan Juan on the Isla Grandepeninsula, near the world-renownedcity of Old San Juan.
As the US travel market’s top-selling destination, “the Caribbeanhas long required an annual eventtailored specifically to travelagents”, said Rivera.
“The fact that Puerto Rico acts asa hub for the Caribbean with air andsea access to most islands makes itan ideal location for this inauguraltourism expo,” she continued.
The four-day event will includegroup meetings, social and culturalevents, field trips, workshops,destination trainings, keynoteaddresses and more, while theExhibit Hall will be open for twodays to travel trade participants andone day to consumers. ETI – PuertoRico will feature pavilions from theCaribbean and beyond, providingtourism boards, hotels, suppliers,tour operators, airlines and otherswith direct access to more than1,000 travel agents from the US,Central and South America andEurope, exposing them to newdestinations and attractions.Additional information is available atwww.etipuertorico.com.
Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Dr Wykeham McNeill(centre) discusses plans to upgrade the Old Harbour BayBeach with Member of Parliament for South Western StCatherine, Everald Warmington (right) and Mayor of SpanishTown Councillor Norman Scott. The occasion was a tour onFebruary 11 of Old Harbour Bay Beach and otherredevelopment projects in St Catherine being funded by theTourism Enhancement Fund.
Bahamas nowofficial home ofthe Swimming PigsTHE BAHAMAS is now the
official home of theSwimming Pigs. Visitors to
the islands are happily embracingthe unique and special experienceto swim with the pigs on theuninhabited island of Big MajorCay, which is home to these specialanimals. The swimming pigs jointhe vast opportunities of aquaticactivities already popular withvisitors, from snorkelling withtropical fish and sea turtles, toshark and eel sightings, to scubadiving.
The family of pigs, dubbed“adorable” by tourists, locals andmedia, reside on Big Major Cay,located in The Exumas, a family of360 islands, or cays, in TheBahamas. They have becomeincredibly popular to Bahamiansand visitors alike. The pigs, thoughferal, are exceptionally friendly,running from under the shade ofalmond trees to greet tourists thatbring them treats. They’ve alsolearnt that crews from passingyachts will dump excess food in thesea for them as well. The pigs live
freely on the sandy beaches, andafter basking in the sun for hours,swim in the surf.
It is unknown how the pigsoriginally came to live on Big MajorCay as they aren’t native and theisland itself is uninhabited. Popularlore suggests that they weredropped off by a group of sailorswho wanted to come back andcook them; or that there was anearby shipwreck and the pigsswam to safety.
FRESHWATER SPRINGSHowever it was that they came
to be, they are able to easily survivein part as Big Major Cay is blessedwith three freshwater springs fromwhich they are able to drink, aswell as the generosity of Bahamiansand tourists feeding them.
“As a region known for providingvisitors with the most beautifulbeaches, lavish hotels and resortsand fine dining, the islands of TheBahamas are very proud to be theofficial home of the SwimmingPigs,” said the director general ofThe Bahamas Ministry of Tourism,Joy Jibrilu.
“Providing visitors with thisonce-in-a-lifetime experience byinteracting with these wonderfulanimals is just one more thing thatdistinguishes The Bahamas. We’vealready introduced thousands ofvisitors to ‘Pig Beach’, and we lookforward to welcoming thousandsmore in the years to come. Theseanimals are now as intrinsic to theBahamian experience as any othergem visitors will discover whenvisiting,” she concluded.
Visitors can book their trip to BigMajor Cay for their opportunity toswim with the pigs through avariety of excursion vendors on theislands. Guests staying at RoyalPlantation Island at Fowl Cay cantake a boat directly to the island.From mainland Exuma, there arevarious boat excursions to satisfyevery individual’s cruising desires.The three main excursioncompanies are Staniel Cay AreaBoat Tours, Four C Adventures,and Exuma Cay Adventures. Moreinformation regarding the availableexcursions can be found by visitingbahamas.com.
Beaches Turks & Caicos to hostWorld Travel Awards 2015THE ‘OSCARS of the travel industry’, the WorldTravel Awards has announced Beaches Turks &Caicos Resort Villages & Spa as the host ofthe World Travel Awards Caribbean &North America Gala ceremony 2015.
Hundreds of industry leaders areexpected to gather at the world-class resortfor the event, which will take place onOctober 17, 2015.
Beaches Turks & Caicos is the perfecthost for the ceremony, offering fourmagnificent villages, boasting thearchitecture and ambience of Italy, France,the Caribbean and Key West; a 12-milebeach lapped by clear turquoise waters, and some ofthe industry’s leading event facilities in theCaribbean.
Announcing the decision, World Travel Awards
president, Graham Cooke said: “I am delightedWorld Travel Awards will be returning to Beaches
Resorts, and in particular, to Beaches Turks &Caicos. The team at the resort allowed us tohost one of our most successful events everwhen we last visited in 2012, and I lookforward to being reunited with our friendsthere later in 2015.”
Beaches Resorts is no stranger to the WorldTravel Awards, having been recognised as theWorld’s Leading All-Inclusive Family ResortBrand for the last 17 years, while parent,Sandals Resorts International, claimed the
title of World’s Leading All-Inclusive Companyfor an unprecedented 19th time in 2014.
“It’s an honour to host the annual World TravelAwards once again,” said Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart,chairman of Sandals Resorts International.
COOKE
14 HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
Paul H. WilliamsHospitality Jamaica Writer
WITH THE prevalence oflifestyle diseases that leadto death, more and more
people are turning to healthierliving, including ingesting food thatis not processed or nourished bysynthetic chemicals.
Organic or clean food is now thefood of choice for many people, butfinding a place where such is soldcan be a challenge.
However, for Kingstonians, it isnow not so challenging. For a whilenow, there has been the UJIMANatural Farmers’ Market, heldevery second and fourth Saturdayat 22 Barbican Road, where underthe theme, Feeding Your Mind,Body and Soul, clean food farmersfrom different parts of Jamaicacome together to offer freshproduce, and fruit juices.
The fresh produce, includingground provisions, fruits and
vegetable, are from the fields of StThomas farmers. The term naturalis used because no manmadechemicals were used in thecultivation of the crops. In additionto foodstuff, there are naturallydyed fabric, natural ingredients forskin, hair products, costumejewellery and artwork made ofseeds and other natural materials.
The market is an extension ofSource Farm’s One One CocoProject in which farmers gothrough an intensive trainingprogramme after which they applywhat they have learnt in their ownfields.
The farmers’ market gives theman opportunity to sell their naturalproduce.
According to Nicola Phillips ofSt Thomas’ Source FarmFoundation and Ecovillage, theorganisers of the market, theobjective of the One One Cocoproject is manifold. First, there is
Cheryl Holdworth’s butter products made of seeds and nuts. PHOTO BY PAUL WILLIAMS
Freshly picked, sweet strawberries from Fitzroy Mais’ farm atContent, St Andrew.
From left: Romario Powell, Dwight Shirley, of The Source Farm, and patron Mickeela Brownenjoying coconut chips produced by The Source Farm in St Thomas.
Make UJIMA natural-producemarket an option
HOSPITALITY JAMAICA | 15WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015
PHOTOS BY PAUL WILLIAMS
A range of natural products including laundry soap and fabric softener from Cory Breniesen’s RaeStudios in John’s Town, St Thomas.
Julie Chin of White Hall Farm in St Thomas is a regular vendor at the UJIMA Natural Farmers’Market at 22 Barbican Road, St Andrew.
the matter of meeting the growingdemand for clean food.
“We need more farmers growingitems using less costly inputs such asfertilisers and chemicals,” she said.
“For years people who have healthissues have been seeking a placewhere they can find clean food(fertiliser and pesticide free). Themarket will create a place for peopleto come and get access to items thatsustain a healthy lifestyle,” Phillipstold Hospitality Jamaica.
Then there is food security. Withmore farmers, there is more foodsecurity on the island. She argued“We import over US$1 billion worthof food items into Jamaica and onlyexport US$275 million according tothe Ministry of Agriculture. This isnot a sustainable practice, especiallywhen we have a 12-month growingseason.”
There is also the need to transferknowledge from old to youngfarmers, thereby creatingemployment for the youth. Phillipsaid the project is a “great strategyfor getting young people on the landdoing productive work that willearn them a good livelihood. Sellingdirectly at the market gives them aretail sale price for their items.
“If they sell it to CoronationMarket, for example, they will onlysell something for $20-30 perpound, and if they sell directly tothe customer, they will get the fullvalue, which is often twice theamount. Farming in Jamaica is theonly place where the farmer paysretail for their input and sell backitems less than wholesale. How canwe get anyone to go into farmingusing that unfair methodology?”Phillips asked.
Fresh vegetables and greens from Durgas Den Farm in St Ann.
Carol Miller of St Andrew demonstrates how she was going tobite into this natural-ingredient bread baked by the Bread Ladyof John’s Town, St Thomas.
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National Gallery pays tributeto Annabella ProudlockTHE NATIONAL Gallery of
Jamaica pays tribute toAnnabella Proudlock,
artist, collector, art patron andgallerist, who passed away onFebruary 14. She was themanaging director of HarmonyHall and a former board memberof the National Gallery ofJamaica.
Proudlock was born in Walesand worked as a fashion model inLondon before she moved toJamaica in 1966. She worked withOperation Friendship for manyyears, initially as a basic schoolteacher and later as a fundraiserwho developed a line of productsthat included Christmas cards,notelets and calendars. The latterinvolved reproductions ofJamaican art and it is whileworking on these projects that shebecame closely associated withseveral artists, including Mallica‘Kapo’ Reynolds.
She also started producing herpopular Annabella Boxes –
handcrafted cedar boxes decoratedwith Jamaican art reproductions.
In 1980, Annabella acquired a19th Century manse, HarmonyHall in Tower Isle, St Mary, abuilding that dates from 1886 andwas originally the great house of asmall pimento plantation and latera Methodist rectory. Together witha team of friends which includedfuture husband, Peter Proudlock,
Graham Davis, Ben Eales andDawn Scott, who designed thebeautiful fretwork, the buildingwas restored and Harmony Hallgallery opened its doors in 1981.Harmony Hall was declared anational monument by the JamaicaNational Heritage Trust in 2003.
Harmony Hall represents arevolutionary gallery concept inthe Jamaican context with its
strong focus on the self-taughtintuitive artists, its active involvementin craft development and itsengagement of tourist and local artaudiences. The annual HarmonyHall intuitives and craft fairs thatwere held at different times of theyear were, and still are, much-anticipated events on the local artcalendar. These initiatives werespearheaded by Annabella, whoworked closely with the artists andcraft producers to develop andpromote their work and to unearthnew talent. She received a SilverMusgrave Medal in 1992 for her‘Outstanding Contribution to CraftProduction’.
ACCOMPLISHED ARTIST
Annabella was also anaccomplished artist best knownfor her shell collages. She had asolo exhibition of her work atBolivar Gallery in 2013 andregularly exhibited in theNational Gallery of Jamaica’sBiennial exhibition, most recentlyin 2012.
Veerle Poupeye, the National
Gallery’s executive director,remembers Annabella as “animpeccably generous person witha strong moral centre and awonderful sense of humour and aconsummate professional whomade a very tangible contributionto the development and promotionof art and craft in Jamaica”.
She added: “Annabella was oneof the National Gallery’s longestserving board members andalways provided sound technicaland policy advice. She was one ofthe Gallery’s most committed andenthusiastic supporters, and we arevery touched that she joined us forthe opening of the 2014 JamaicaBiennial, at a time when she wasalready quite ill. It was a trueprivilege to have known her and tohave worked with her.”
The board and staff of theNational Gallery of Jamaicaextend their deepest sympathiesto Annabella’s husband, PeterProudlock, her children, Sebastianand Jessica Ogden, and her manyfriends.
Harmony Hall PHOTO BY PIETER POUPEYE
CONTRIBUTED
Annabella Proudlock’s ‘Out of My Closet’ (2012, mixed mediacollage). This piece was also on view in the 2012 NationalBiennial.
From left: Annabella Proudlock, Barrington Watson andJoseph A. Matalon at the National Gallery in 1999.
