Montego Bay, Jamaica’s tourist capital, will play host to the 26th staging of Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), set to take place April 29-May 1, 2016 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. Over 500 travel agents, hoteliers, allied members and small and medium-sized enterprises are expected to attend this year’s event, organized by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
Prime Minister, the Hon. Andrew Holness, will be special guest at the opening reception, which is co-sponsored by Melia Braco, under the theme: Many Moods of Jamaica.
As Jamaica’s premier travel trade event, JAPEX is one of the most important business generators for the island’s tourism industry. In two days of pre-scheduled appointments, wholesalers, tour operators and travel agents will meet face to face with close to 200 of the island’s leading tourism suppliers and linkage partners to conduct business negotiations.
“Just mere weeks away, this annual travel trade event offers the ideal platform for Jamaica’s tourism stakeholders to meet, negotiate and learn about improvements in our tourism product,” said Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, Paul Pennicook. “It is through the Jamaica Product Exchange that a significant number of our industry partners are able to do business with tour operators and travel agents. The business conducted at JAPEX will benefit both tourism partners and other providers of goods and services in Jamaica.”
Jamaica is a very accessible destination. Just four hours away from one third of the world and only six hours from the remaining two thirds of the world, the island’s unique geographic location makes it a veritable hub of investment opportunities. Moreover, the country’s road network has been expanded with the building of state-of-the-art highways. The newly opened North-South leg will attract more international businesses and investments.
“We look forward to welcoming new and returning buyers to update them on the significant developments of our tourism product,” noted Nicola Madden-Greig, President of the JHTA . Key among them is the addition of new hotel partners and the opening of the North-South Link of Highway 2000, which has already started to bear fruit with the creation of multi-destination packages. We encourage those attending JAPEX to try and experience it for themselves,” she added.
