AIR JAMAICA VACATIONS will rebrand its "small
hotels" offerings as Intimate Escapes in June and will debut its
high-end Top Class Escapes product in October. AJV developed the
Intimate Escapes program for Jamaica properties with fewer than 100
rooms. "We don't want to call them 'small hotels' anymore," said
Susanna Mander, director of product development. "We found out
through research that 'small' doesn't work; it [signifies] a lot of
bad things to people." The Intimate Escapes category will be
marketed in a six-month program called "the Cozy Side of Jamaica."
The Top Class Escapes product will combine 24-hour personal
assistance, private transfers, luxury accommodations, unique
excursions, and first-class travel on Air Jamaica.
ENTER THE ERA of cooperation. A new collective
initiative, described as long overdue, is under way by the
Caribbean's three regional organizations--the Caribbean Hotel
Assn., the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Florida Caribbean
Cruise Assn. Their new Caribbean Tourism Facilitation Committee
will meet on a regular basis to examine issues such as converting
cruise passengers into stayover visitors, exploring volume
discounts on provisions common to hotels and cruise lines,
developing regional marketing initiatives and revisiting proposals
to create a regional tourism fund. The three groups also pledged to
undertake joint research, share information---including customer
surveys---and will work to upgrade the tourism product. Jean
Holder, CTO's secretary general, hailed the initiative as
"historic" and said the power of the three groups working together
"has the potential to revolutionize Caribbean tourism in the best
interest of the Caribbean people."
LODGEPODGE
• SuperClubs, a pioneer of the all-inclusive Caribbean resort
model, will do a 180-degree turn with the planned opening later
this year of "Rooms," a barebones, accommodations-only 100-room
property in Ocho Rios on the site of the former Club Jamaica.
Guests will have access to an one-site pool, bar and---perhaps---a
breakfast room, but that's all. "There probably won't even be a
restaurant," said Zein Nakash, SuperClubs' vp-marketing and
environmental affairs. Rooms will offer EP stays at mid-range
prices and will be positioned as a SuperClubs-affiliate company,
along the lines of the Starfish Trelawny resort, another SuperClubs
property, on Jamaica's north shore.
• The four-star, 50-room Coyaba Beach Resort & Spa in Montego
Bay, Jamaica purchased Country, Country, a 14-cottage beachfront
property in Negril, Jamaica, and will rename it Country Country
Beach Cottages, offering a moderate-pricing structure. Rates will
run $100 per night, double, including breakfast, tax and service
charges. Guests of Coyaba and Country Country can use the
facilities at both resorts. For details, visit www.countrynegril.com.
B. J. CUNNINGHAM, a British entrepreneur best
known for provocative brand creation, will be the keynote speaker
for the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference June 13 to 16 at the
Wyndham El Conquistador Resort & Spa in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.
Cunningham created and marketed the U.K. cigarette brand, DEATH,
which he described as the "honest smoke." Authentic and powerful
branding requires the truth, "and the future is about market depth
and involvement," Cunningham opined. Alec Sanguinetti, CHA director
general, called Cunningham "a wizard at flipping a conservative
market and reversing resistance." Sanguinetti predicted
Cunningham's speech will provide "food for thought on the course
our region should chart in this recovery period." The conference
theme is "Caribbean Tourism, Stronger Together."
TAKEOFFS
• United will add service to Montego Bay, Jamaica; Punta Cana,
Dominican Republic; and St. Maarten in December, pending government
approvals. The service will be launched in conjunction with United
Vacations, which will create vacation packages for each
destination.
• Air Jamaica's latest fare sale requires that tickets be purchased
by May 14 for travel through June 23. Reservations are required at
least seven days before departure. Roundtrip fares to Jamaica start
at $198 from Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston,
Miami or Orlando. Los Angeles prices start at $298. To book, visit
www.airjamaica.com.
• On June 1, ATA boosts its service from Orlando to San Juan from
one to two daily flights, adds a third flight four days a week and
launches three flights a week between St. Petersburg/Tampa, Fla.,
and San Juan.
• Dutch Caribbean Airlines, based in Curacao, will launch three
flights a week from Miami to Aruba and daily service between Miami
and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, June 1.
ROLODEX
• Int'l Hospitality Enterprises named Michael Moecking as general
manager of the 309-room Vanderbilt Hotel, which is under
construction in the Condado area of San Juan. Moecking also will
oversee the pre-opening operations at the adjacent sister property,
La Concha Hotel. Both properties are expected to open next
year.
• New director of catering and convention services for the
InterContinental Resort & Casino San Juan is Ferando Sa, a
longtime InterContinental executive who held positions at the
firm's properties in New Orleans and Rio de Janiero.