Tourists delight in JAPEX trade show
Published:Sunday | May 5, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Tanya Stephens declared she was no Mariah Carey, but the dynamic female artiste had a large-enough fan base to garner support from the 'up town' Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) audience at the trade show's opening party last Sunday night.
Hundreds lined the cobblestones of the Montego Bay Convention Centre jamming to Montego Bay's Pace Band, as the no-nonsense It's A Pity and These Streets artiste drew for hit after hit from her impressive repertoire.
Food stations were busy, networking was at its highest, and the air was filled with expectation. This JAPEX's 23rd trade show, had attracted the largest contingent of Eastern European tour operators, and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) had their partners and the Jamaica Tourist Board smiling from ear to ear.
Seven months after hosting the last trade show, they announce that business appointments had gone through the roof, with a whopping 9.6 per cent increase.
The only worry the organisers had was whether or not Stephens was going to sing another Ding Dong song. But why worry? The Europeans love Stephens, they love the Jamaican rhythm. It doesn't matter what the lyrics say.
In the meantime, the JHTA Montego Bay Chapter was quick to point out to those who may have not known that the Second City was indeed the complete resort.
Great food, conversation pieces, big deals, and more tourists flocking to our shores at the end of the day, was enough to keep the islands hoteliers and their allied members happy.
Photos by Janet Silvera