WHAT'S NEW

Stricken by Hurricane Ivan in September, the island of Jamaica has repaired and rebounded, launching a new year with growth in the number of travelers and in the island's hotel and meetings product. More than 12,000 new hotel rooms are in the planning stages or under construction. Religious groups will also find renovated meeting facilities, expanded airlift, and a growing number of free-time attractions and activities across the island.

The future holds new promise for groups interested in dedicated meeting space. In January, Prime Minister P.J. Patterson announced that “Bancomex has agreed to fund the building of a convention center in Montego Bay.” The project will join the handful of convention centers in the Caribbean.

Jamaica has also seen growth in its airlift, including new flights from United; now all major U.S. carriers have some service to the island. Recently the privatized Air Jamaica went back under government operation, a move that is considered temporary.

For religious conference planners, however, the carrier's change is one that Edith Seaton, Air Jamaica's regional manager, group sales USA, believes “will be seamless. It doesn't affect our programs.” Air Jamaica continues to offer a growing number of programs aimed at the religious market. “We have done some enhancements to the group product which will make us more competitive,” explains Seaton. “We have complimentary tickets based on the number of seats booked. We have introduced free name changes, and we're more flexible with deposit requirements. Also, in Jamaica we have a meet-and-greet service for groups to assist with check-in. Most of the religious groups work directly with the airline, and we assign a group specialist who works with them throughout the project. We understand the nature of their travel, and we can assist them with itineraries.” After Hurricane Ivan, Air Jamaica worked closely with mission groups and made it possible for many groups to arrive on the island shortly after the storm.

Air Jamaica also works closely with the Jamaica Tourist Board, now celebrating its 50th year. Along with offering and escorting familiarization trips and supplying destination materials and videos, the agency assists with VIP airport courtesies, works as a liaison with suppliers, helps with customs duty waivers, and can distribute RFPs to suppliers.

The Jamaica Tourist Board also can assist planners by matching religious groups with properties. “We are not simply a couples-only, all-inclusive destination; we are a very diverse destination,” explains Paul Pennicook, director of tourism. Family-friendly hotels such as Montego Bay's Wyndham Rose Hall are proving popular. “The religious market has been strong for us,” notes Dermot Conolly, general manager of the Wyndham Rose Hall. “We have seen some growth, and we just started going after that market a year ago.”

Similarly, in Negril, the 140-room Point Village has attracted many religious groups. “Some groups come for the opportunity for fellowship, and others to meet,” explains Evelyn Smith, the resort's director of marketing. “Some groups have involved their Jamaican counterparts.”

Regardless of the area of Jamaica that groups select, opportunities abound for visitors to take part in the island's religious life. Boasting more churches per square mile than anyplace else on Earth, the island's cities and villages bear witness to the fact that religion is an important part of Jamaican life. The Church of Jamaica, formerly part of the Church of England, has the largest following. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, Seventh-day Adventists, Christian Scientists, and other groups also have significant memberships.

The island is also home to several religious festivals, the largest of which is March's “Fun in the Son.” Held at Ocho Rios, the event, which has been dubbed “The premier Christian festival in the Caribbean,” includes sunrise services, starlight devotionals, and a gospel party.

FACILITY UPDATE

KINGSTON

• MORGAN'S HARBOUR HOTEL has renovated its 46 guest rooms and now projects a nautical theme throughout the property, which includes meeting space for as many as 60 participants.

OCHO RIOS

• The Renaissance Grande has been acquired by the Sunset Resort group and will reopen in March as the SUNSET JAMAICA GRANDE RESORT. The 730-room hotel includes more than 32,000 square feet of meeting space.

• ROOMS OCHO RIOS has opened with 97 rooms and suites. The continental plan hotel is the first in the newest SuperClubs affiliate brand and is adjacent to the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort. The family-friendly hotel includes wireless Internet access.

• Sandals Ocho Rios and Grande Sport Villa Golf Resort and Spa by Beaches have been combined to form the 522-room SANDALS GRANDE OCHO RIOS BEACH AND VILLA RESORT. The resort has undergone a $10 million refurbishment of public areas, conference facilities, spas, restaurants, and villas.

• The 94-room SHAW PARK BEACH HOTEL & SUITES has reopened after a $3 million renovation.

• COUPLES OCHO RIOS has undergone a $1.6 million renovation of its 206 guest rooms.

• HARMONY COVE is planning a new beachfront resort between Ocho Rios and Montego Bay; the project will include three hotels, two championship golf courses, a marina, and a private airport as well as villas. Presently the project is in the bidding stage.

• At Oyster Bay, AM Resorts plans to begin work on four new hotels, which will add 1,700 guest rooms to the area.

• The 850-room, all-inclusive RIU PALACE OCHO RIOS is under construction and scheduled to open in November.

MONTEGO BAY

• The 524-room HOLIDAY INN SUNSPREE RESORT has undergone a multimillion-dollar renovation of its public areas, adding a nautical theme. The resort, available on an all-includive or EP plan, includes supervised children's and teens' programs. The resort offers banquet space for up to 300 guests and receptions for as many as 1,550 attendees.

• Iberostar has broken ground on the first of three new resorts that will offer 950 guest rooms.

• The 420-room, all inclusive SUNSET BEACH RESORT & SPA is adding an extensive new waterpark to open in January. The property offers a meeting room for up to 120 attendees, theater-style.

• HALF MOON MONTEGO BAY finished an $8 million refurbishment of its guest rooms, demolishing three blocks of beachfront suites to make room for 68 beachfront rooms and suites with verandas and balconies, data port Internet access, and minibars. The project also refurbished the ballroom and conference center, which includes 12,000 square feet of meeting space and 26,000 square feet of exhibit space. The resort's golf course has also been renovated.

NEGRIL

• THE RIU CLUB HOTEL has opened with 420 guest rooms. The family-friendly, all-inclusive property is next to the new 396-room Riu Tropical Bay.

• Grupo Pinero will begin construction late this year on three hotels in the St. Ann area; the resorts will add 1,800 rooms and will operate under the Bahia Principe name.

• ROCKHOUSE added eight villa rooms, bringing its total room count to 34.

• BEACHES NEGRIL RESORT AND SPA has opened a new spa, the largest facility in the resort chain. In May, the west coast property unveiled an 18,000-square-foot waterpark. The resort includes 1,500 square feet of meeting space.

• The former Negril Cabins has been purchased by Sunset Resort Group and reopened as SUNSET AT THE PALMS RESORT AND SPA in January. The resort's 85 guest rooms have been renovated; the resort has also added a new restaurant, exercise area, and outdoor spa facility. The resort includes a meeting room for up to 150 attendees theater-style or 90 banquet-style.

SOUTH COAST

• The first all-inclusive resort on the south coast is scheduled to open in February. SANDALS WHITEHOUSE EUROPEAN VILLAGE & SPA will offer 360 guest rooms including 54 suites. The resort is based on the concept of three European villages, and will offer six restaurants, four pools, tennis, a fitness center, and 11,000 square feet of meeting space, including an indoor amphitheater.

ASK THE TOURIST BOARD

JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD
(800) 294-7687 (Groups, U.S. & Canada); (305) 665-0557, ext. 682
Fax: (305) 666-5536
meetings.visitjamaica.com
Departure Tax: JA$1000 (at press time U.S. $27)
15%-20% service charge (islandwide)

PHANTOM PLANNER

• Authorized taxis in Jamaica have a red license plate with the designation “PPV.”

• The definition of “all-inclusive” at the island's resorts can vary greatly. Some properties include dining in specialty restaurants every night, all watersports, and even meeting setup in the package; others are more limited.

• Hurricane season extends from June 1 through November 30, although the season peaks in September. Rates are often much lower throughout this period. A growing number of Jamaican resorts offer hurricane guarantees.

• Caddies are mandatory at all golf courses throughout Jamaica.

• Interisland flights are a quick way to reach more distant resort areas. Flights of fewer than 15 minutes connect Montego Bay with Ocho Rios and Negril. Port Antonio has closed its small airport; the easiest way to reach this destination is now a drive from Kingston. The south coast is reached by driving from Montego Bay.

Special Venues

• The Jamaica Tourist Board has relaunched MEET THE PEOPLE. Visitors are matched with a local resident who shares a common interest or profession. The program provides a look into Jamaican life and arranges for participants to enjoy activities such as a home-cooked Jamaican meal, a local church service, or visiting local markets. www.visitjamaica.com; (800) 233-4JTB.

• Kingstons's JAMAICA CONFERENCE CENTRE, the most technologically advanced meeting facility on the island, has simultaneous translation facilities for six languages: English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Russian, and Arabic. The center is headquarters for the International Seabed Authority, an arm of the United Nations. (876) 922-9160; fax (876) 922 7816; www.jamaicaconference.com

• CHUKKA CARIBBEAN, with operations in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, offers excursions ranging from mild to wild, from horseback rides and inner tube floats down Jamaica's rivers to ATV rides and zipline canopy tours. www.chukkacaribbean.com; (876) 972-2506

• Montego Bay's GREENWOOD GREAT HOUSE has no spooky legend like neighboring Rose Hall, but it does have a rich history. The Barrett family, from whom the English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning descended, built the house, which is open for tours and functions. (876) 953-1077; www.greenwoodgreathouse.com

• Just west of Ocho Rios, CRANBROOK FLOWER FOREST is filled with orchids, ginger, and ferns. Nature trails lead into dense vegetation. A pavilion for picnics, donkey rides, croquet, wading, and volleyball are also available. (876) 770-8071