Giselle Vassell: Sees tourism prospects in Dream Weekend

Daviot Kelly, Staff Reporter

Smirnoff Dream Weekend has become more than just a great party for locals, it's definitely a huge tourism product that brings in the visitors.

And the tourism aspect of it seems tailor-made for Giselle Vassell, Dream's administrative assistant. Vassell did her major in tourism management at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

"Some people think it (the course) is a walk in the park but it's a lot of course work," she recalled. "It was challenging but you can't go through life without challenges." She believes strongly in the tourism sector and feels there is still much to be gained from it.

"Tourism is something I feel Jamaica thrives off of. It's an area that we're known for and it employs most of our people. The revenues from it are what keep us going, so I think it is something to be a part of," she reasoned. Vassell constantly had to work with others during her studies, something which no doubt helped prepare her for her current job. With 'the weekend' so close, the pace gets even more hectic. Her job definitely keeps her buzzing.

"I do a lot," she chuckled in an understatement-of-the-year way. "Mostly, I am communicating with the team members on a daily basis. They each have different responsibilities and I liaise with each of them." She explained that the team has a 'timeline', basically the schedule of events, and when things need to be done by.

"I make sure we meet our deadlines, keep track of our timeline. So for instance, I make sure the art work is done, printed and paid for," she explained. Today, being July 4, means Dream Weekend is about a month away and the work is on in earnest.

"Right now, it's more questions, more phone calls to be made, more calls to be answered," she laughed. "Most things are on track, or where we want them to be. But we never put our pencils or our hands down and take a breath. If anything, the work really begins now," she added. That's how it is for the group as they attempt to maintain the high standard of the product (and she does see it as a product) and to please the thousands who will be heading to Negril for the annual event.

Her affiliation with Dream Weekend started last year when she met PJ Wright. The Dream team was looking for someone who could work from their base (right now at Main Events headquarters) on a day-to-day basis. Her study area and the experience from working at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) made Vassell the perfect fit.

Mentors

"There were some really great mentors at JTB," she said, citing that she gained tremendous exposure in marketing that she is now using with Dream Weekend. She also gushed about how much she has learned from the 'senior' members of the team. This is her full-time job and she said the work is year-round, i.e. the minute one weekend is over, the planning for the next starts.

"I could never have imagined the scope of it," she admitted. But the Dream Weekend brand had met her approval long before she donned the logo. Vassell is a regular patron and always loved the vibes and themes of the Dream Weekend product.

"I believed in this before ever thinking about joining the team. Dream really puts on premium events; that's our goal. The experience is not just of a regular party where people come, stand up, and do a little jig," she said. She noted that the effort and the creativity that go into the set-up really make the event special.

"I would love to see us be able to fully define the entertainment industry," she said, adding her hope that Dream Weekend would be considered "that group of persons who give you the best (party) experience."

daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com