KINGSTON, Jamaica – At a time when the Winter Tourist Season would have usually been in high gear, Jamaica as a destination remained in the eyes and hearts of many, despite the trying times of the impact of Covid-19.
The island was reporting steady visitor arrivals for the period up to December.
So when the Blue Mahoe Capital team called the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) to partner with them to facilitate a tour with the travel-ready Passport Heavy crew, it was a done deal. It was now down to where and when.
The tour of Jamaica, or as much of Jamaica as they could get started in Kingston – the business center of the Caribbean (heartbeat of the world). Business Breakfast profiling some of Jamaica’s creative best was the subject of which, Director of Tourism, Donovan White gave the team a challenge.
White in his remarks urged the teams of BMC and Passport Heavy to see Jamaica through the eyes of adventure but solidify the journey with ways to accommodate the creative industry players.
White’s focus for the meeting, hosted at the AC Hotel, Kingston continued along the line of “encouraging the entrepreneurs to see the sport and entertainment commodity as one which should be consistently well packaged to be delivered in a way to attract audiences and investment to grow and enhance.” Jamaica, he added was the cultural center of the globe and that position “is not to be taken lightly, but instead be used a catalyst to support the diversity of the destination’s cultural and tourism product.”
David P Mullings, CEO of Blue Mahoe Capital, said his company’s investment in companies based in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean is a priority and noted that Jamaica’s cultural mark on the world is indelible. “There are gaps on the business side and always room for improvement, and we have a commitment to add value and play a role in how they grow their businesses in key areas, especially expanding into larger markets and leveraging technology.”
The meeting profiled artisans supported by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the BMC team was treated to an art tour by Susan Fredericks of the AC Hotel, Kingston.
The adventure took the teams out of Kingston with some desired, fun and enchanting experiences on land (golf), in the air (Mystic Mountain) and among the people at eateries on the north coast.
The teams of Passport Heavy and Blue Mahoe Capital spent a week in Jamaica and their journey was a collaboration and partnership that also included Enterprise Jamaica and the Ocean Coral Spring Hotel.
