JAPEX cancelled
The Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), which was to be staged as a hybrid event from November 8 to 10 this year, has been cancelled.
Through pre-arranged meetings, JAPEX — the largest travel trade show in the Caribbean — usually provides Jamaica’s tourism partners with numerous opportunities to negotiate. It’s also where the local sector typically meets and updates overseas travel agents and media partners on developments in Jamaica’s tourism product.
It is a collaboration between the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association.
Safety first as cruises resume at all ports
Safety will be a big factor in ongoing discussions between the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and stakeholders working towards an early December 2021 return of cruise operations at all the island’s ports.
According to the PAJ’s assistant vice-president of marketing communications Kimberley Stiff, details about the planned resumption will be provided to “interest groups and the communities in which we operate”. The PAJ, she added, has been working closely with the health ministry to ensure a “safe and secure restart of the cruise shipping sector within the COVID-19 operational context”.
November is Caribbean Tourism Month
‘Caribbean Comeback’ is the theme of Caribbean Tourism Month, which will be celebrated in November. The theme is a recognition of the region’s ongoing recovery from the devastating impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic and also an invitation to visitors to return.
Throughout November, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) will join member countries, allied and affiliate members and Caribbean tourism interests in reaffirming their collective purpose of ‘Leading Sustainable Tourism — One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean’.
Though it is fully aware how quickly things can change with the virus, the numbers from the third quarter have been encouraging, said the CTO.
“Our member countries have worked tirelessly over the past 19 months to adapt to the ever-evolving environment thrust upon us by the pandemic. They have implemented a range of initiatives and stringent protocols to ensure post-COVID competitiveness and to rebuild confidence in the sector,” said the regional tourism development agency. “One of the very positive signs of recovery is that, as the markets reopen, the region is welcoming an increasing number of flights, including direct service to destinations that either never had such service before or have not had direct service for several years.”
St Kitts welcomes ultra-luxury ship
St Kitts & Nevis on October 25 celebrated the inaugural call of the Viking Orion, an ultra-luxury ship from Viking Ocean Cruises, a division of Viking Cruises.
Officially a stop on their winter 2021/2022 schedule, the Viking Orion will call 10 times during St Kitts winter 2021/2022 season. This is the fourth vessel to call since the restart of the twin-island’s cruise sector.
Viking Ocean Cruises is the largest luxury cruise line and was voted the #1 Ocean Line in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Viking Cruises came to St Kitts for the first time in the 2016-17 season with the Viking Sea. Since then, the Viking Sky, Viking Star and Viking Sun have visited. Welcoming the inaugural call of the Viking Orion is significant as cruise tourism rebuilds globally.
“We want to thank Viking Cruises for their valued partnership and for including St Kitts & Nevis on the itinerary of the Viking Orion’s inaugural season,” said Racquel Brown, CEO of St Kitts Tourism Authority.
The Viking Orion is sailing from Ft Lauderdale, Port Everglades, on a 14-day cruise itinerary. It arrived in St Kitts on the third day.
