01 May 2014
Chief Executive Director of TUI Travel PLC, Peter Long, has declared that he is excited about the partnership between his organisation and Jamaica's tourist industry. He was speaking at a meeting with Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller in Kingston earlier this week: 'We are delighted to be in Jamaica and excited to continue to develop this long-term partnership,' he said.
He projects that capacity from the United Kingdom will increase by 60% in the summer and by 140% this coming winter. This will be facilitated through Thomson Airways and the Thomson Dream Cruise Line. Growth is expected to continue through the summer of 2015.
Long was part of a five member senior executive team from TUI Travel PLC, who along with directors of several of their European companies were on the island primarily to attend the opening of the Azul Sensatori Jamaica in Negril. The property owned by Thomson and operated by Karisma Hotel and Resorts, is the sixth Sensatori to be opened worldwide and the first in the Caribbean.
The team also used the opportunity to hold key discussions with tourism officials on plans to grow and strengthen the existing partnership.
'The partnership that we have developed with TUI has been of tremendous benefit to Jamaica,' said John Lynch, Director of Tourism. It gives us access to the millions of customers that the company serves in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Nordic region, Germany and Canada'. 'The opening of the Azul Sensatori Jamaica is part of the expansion within the partnership, and later this year the Platinum ship Thomson Dream will move to its new home port of Montego Bay,' he added.
In his address at the opening ceremony Long announced: 'Being able to offer not only a wonderful destination but an unrivalled flight experience on our Boeing 787's is putting Jamaica high on the wish list for our customers. Jamaica's success at the London 2012 Olympics has helped to re-awaken the allure of the destination…in particular for our UK customers, where this year we will see nearly 100,000 of those customers coming to the island a 60% increase year-on-year.' He continued by saying 'Thomson Airways operates more direct flights to Jamaica than any other European airline – five times a week this summer and seven in the winter with our cruise programme. This will increase by a further one flight from summer 2015.'
In December 2013, Jamaica was the first country in the region to welcome the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft through partnership with Thomson Airways and its parent company, TUI Travel PLC. The company is in the process of acquiring additional aircrafts and Jamaica is likely to benefit from increased airlift if discussions are successful.
TUI Travel PLC is one of the world's leading leisure travel groups, with over 220 trusted brands in 180 countries and more than 30 million customers.
For more information on Jamaica please see www.VisitJamaica.com
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Notes to Editors
Photo Caption : Director of Tourism John Lynch (far right) has the rapt attention of senior executives from TUI Travel PLC on their recent trip to Jamaica. Listening keenly from left are: Garry Wilson, Mainstream Product and Purchasing Managing Director; Peter Long, Chief Executive Officer; Lesley Allan, Group Corporate Communications Director; Johan Peter Lundgren, Deputy Chief Executive responsible for the Mainstream Sector and Russia & CIS and Stephen Hunter, Chief Executive Officer and President Sunwing Travel Group, Canada.
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About Jamaica Tourist Board
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica's national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. The JTB was declared the Caribbean's Leading Tourist Board by the World Travel Awards (WTA) from 2006 to 2013. Also in 2013, Jamaica earned the WTA's vote for the World's Leading Cruise Destination, Caribbean's Leading Destination and Caribbean's Leading Cruise Destination for the seventh consecutive year. Additionally, the Historic Falmouth Cruise Port was recognised as the World's Leading Tourism Development Project while Ocho Rios was named the Caribbean's Leading Cruise Port and Sangster International Airport was voted the Caribbean's Leading Airport. In Canada, Jamaica was voted the Favourite Honeymoon Destination by Travel Agents.
JTB offices are located in Kingston, Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are located in Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam and Tokyo.
For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB's website at www.visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board 020 7225 9090. Follow the JTB on Facebook at www.facebook.com/visitjamaicauk, on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jtbuk, on Instagram at http://instagram.com/visitjamaica on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/myjamaica/or on YouTube at www.youtube.com/myjamaicajtb. View the JTB blog at www.islandbuzzjamaica.com.
