Couples Resorts sponsors tourism, environment award

Jamaica's first all-inclusive hotel chain, Couples Resorts, has teamed with the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) to award excellence in journalism in the field of tourism and environment.

The inaugural Couples Resort award for Excellence in Tourism and the Environment Reporting was presented at last Friday's PAJ awards banquet at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel to TVJ's All Angles team.

Chairman of Couples Resorts, Lee Issa, said he is happy for the opportunity to sponsor the award because of the important role tourism plays in Jamaica's economy.

"We hope that through exposure in the media more Jamaicans will appreciate the contribution tourism is making to the economy of Jamaica," Issa told The Gleaner on Wednesday.

Issa added: "Tourism employs more persons than any other sector, it is growing the economy and creating jobs in areas such as agriculture, transport, manufacturing. We have resources that will never be depleted - sun, sand, sea and the Jamaican character, Jamaicans are born entertainers. The number-one reason guests come back is the hospitality of the staff; the staff always come in for a lot of kudos."

growth

The Tower Isle Hotel, opened in 1949 at the beginning of Jamaica's tourism industry, emerged in 1978 as Couples Ocho Rios, Jamaica's and the Caribbean's first totally all-inclusive hotel. The Couples brand has since grown to include three more hotels in St Mary and Westmoreland, namely Couples Sans Souci, Couples Swept Away and Couples Negril.

The 68-year-old PAJ marked the 2011 Journalism Week under the theme 'Justice, Truth be ours Forever: Journalism in a changing world'. The PAJ introduced the new awards after Couples agreed to sponsor it.

Among the sponsors for Journalism Week activities were Scotiabank, National Commercial Bank, Digicel, Couples Resort, Sagicor, Pan Caribbean Bank, Wisynco, J Wray & Nephew Ltd, Supreme Ventures Ltd, Capital & Credit Financial Group, National Housing Trust, Jamaica Broilers Group, Jamaica Public Service Company, Red Stripe, and the Urban Development Corporation.

Issa said the collaboration between Couples Resorts and the PAJ will continue.

"We will sponsor the award as long as we are here," he committed. "It's good to see the media appreciate the contribution tourism is making and we hope they will continue to write a lot more positive articles to educate Jamaicans about such contribution."

Issa also had words of encouragement for the press.

"I want to congratulate you guys from the media for being independent and not being intimidated. We need a free press," Issa said.

Meanwhile, deputy chairman of Couples Resorts, Paul Issa, has also hailed the sponsorship, citing the importance of sustaining the environment.

In a release, Issa stated: "Couples is honoured to be sponsoring this PAJ award for excellence in Tourism and the Environment Reporting, as sustaining the environment has always been an issue close to our hearts and central to our operating policies. It doesn't take much intelligence to realise that what damages the environment will damage - and ultimately destroy - the tourism industry."