Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
ON THE heels of February's 14.5 per cent increase in visitor arrivals, tourism stakeholders will seek to sustain the island's upward trend when they negotiate 2007-2008 rates at the Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) next month.
JAPEX, a collaboration of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), is the island's premier hospitality and tourism trade show.
BUYERS AND SUPPLIERS
The show, which brings together international buyers and local suppliers of tourism products, including air and ground transportation, hotel rooms, and allied services, is being held in Negril for the first time in its 16-year history.
About 700 buyer and supplier delegates are expected to attend the event from April 23-25.
Speaking at the show's official launch at the world-famous Rick's Café yesterday, JHTA President Horace Peterkin said perseverance, commitment and determination by the JHTA Negril chapter had resulted in their winning the bid to host the event.
For years Negril, which caters mainly to leisure business, lobbied to host the show, but was turned down on the basis that the town did not have the conference facilities to accommodate participants.
