With a focus on resilience, recovery and revenue-generating initiatives, the Jamaica Tourist Board global sales and marketing teams have gathered for collaborative virtual meetings.

The aim was to strategically plan for the upcoming winter 2021 period.

The productive two-day meetings saw more than 40 representatives from the US, Canada, Latin America, UK and Europe come together for a series of update presentations on the destination, including marketing and tourism activities over the past nine months.

Regional directors shared news regarding airlift schedules in their territories as well as insights on current sentiments among retail agents and travellers within their markets.

Teams also provided an overview of upcoming sales and marketing tactics for 2021.

Forward-looking strategic plans for each region include virtual engagements and trade shows for the retail community, in-person FAM trips for agents, buyers and journalists, and targeted media relations campaigns and promotional initiatives for trade, consumer and Diaspora audiences.

“I am thrilled with the resilience and innovative thinking demonstrated by the JTB’s global sales and marketing teams,” said JTB chairman John Lynch following the two-day session.

“During a challenging year of disruption within the industry, JTB teams across all our major markets remain highly visible on a local and national level, effectively delivering important updates on the destination’s reopening protocols while also keeping Jamaica top-of-mind as a leading global travel destination.

“Jamaica’s tourist industry is on a positive trajectory of growth and recovery, and we look forward to continuing that momentum into 2021.”

While MICE is predicted to be one of the last segments of the travel industry to rebound, the JTB continues to engage with incentive buyers, planners and third-party bookers through webinars and virtual FAM trips on a regular basis.

Coming out of the meeting was the positive report on Jamaica’s recent Land X-Change event, which saw 50 buyers and 50 suppliers take part in the first major in-person Global MICE Conference hosted on island in 2020.

On the marketing front, the JTB is undertaking numerous consumer engagement initiatives and brand-building activities for 2021, including a soon-to-launch aspirational advertising campaign.

Showcasing the island’s iconic attractions, the campaign will emphasize the enjoyment found through a variety of leisure activities while also touching upon the destination’s best-in-class health and safety protocols.

Media buys for the integrated multiplatform campaign are planned across digital, radio, television and print for all markets.