Ensemble Picks Jamaica As Tourism Board Partner Of The Year
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has been picked as the Tourism Board ‘Partner of the Year’ by Ensemble. Winners of Ensemble’s recognition awards were announced at the organization’s annual Horizons conference in Las Vegas on Nov. 5.
Donovan White, Director of Tourism, JTB, said: “We have been shining the spotlight on luxury in Jamaica over the last year, and the JTB’s strategic partnership with Ensemble has played a significant role in our efforts to elevate the island’s high-end tourism products. We are honoured to receive this recognition from our partners at Ensemble and look forward to continuing this special collaboration in 2024.”
Destination Jamaica representatives accepted the award on stage during a Moulin Rouge themed gala dinner and award show hosted at Paris Las Vegas. The glamorous event was attended by more than 800 Ensemble travel agency owners, managers and advisors, along with tour operators, airline partners and other tourism industry stakeholders.
Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada, JTB, said: “We are honoured and delighted that Destination Jamaica has been voted Tourism Board Partner of the Year by Ensemble. This incredible recognition is a testament to our strong partnership over the last year and the destination’s ongoing efforts to engage and empower travel advisors within the Ensemble community.”
Earlier this year, Jamaica teamed up with Ensemble to launch its ground-breaking ‘Come Back to Luxurious’ campaign, a strategic promotional partnership to spotlight the island’s high-end tourism products. Since the partnership officially commenced in September 2023, the JTB has worked with Ensemble to provide travel advisors with access to exclusive training programs and marketing materials on Jamaica’s various luxury offerings.
The Jamaica Luxury Travel Specialist certification program will launch on Ensemble’s U of E online training platform in December and two curated FAM trips will be hosted in 2024 to give advisors an opportunity to explore Jamaica’s upscale hotels, attractions and concierge services.
During the Horizons gala on Nov. 5, Ensemble representatives also revealed that Half Moon Resort in Jamaica will host the consortium’s upcoming reward trip for top producing advisors. Ensemble’s annual Beyond recognition event will take place from June 17 to June 21, 2024.
Michael Johnson, President of Ensemble, said: “We are so thrilled to recognize the Jamaica Tourist Board as our Partner of the Year/Tourist Board. The exclusive strategic partnership we launched in September to spotlight Jamaica’s luxury tourism products within the North American retail market perfectly encapsulates the type of exclusive offerings we are focusing on. Our Beyond event for top performers at Half Moon Resort in June 2024 will allow our members to fully experience the destination and product that is a key component of this new alliance.”
Go to www.visitjamaica.com for more.
TOP PHOTO
Destination Jamaica representatives receive the Partner of the Year/Tourist Board award at Ensemble’s annual Horizons conference on November 5 in Las Vegas. Pictured left to right: David Black, Head of Global Sales, Island Routes; Beth Butzlaff, Senior Vice President, Global Partner Relations, Ensemble; Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada, JTB; Michael Johnson, President, Ensemble; Victoria Harper, District Sales Manager, JTB North East; Opal Watson, Director of Sales; Round Hill Hotel & Villas; Issia Thelwell, Leisure Sales Director, Half Moon Resort; Dwight Powell, General Manager, Trident Hotel and Castle.
SECOND PHOTO
Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada, JTB; Michael Johnson, President, Ensemble; and Issia Thelwell, Leisure Sales Director, Half Moon Resort, pose together on stage following the announcement of Ensemble’s 2024 Beyond recognition trip at Half Moon Resort
