11/08/2019 16:18

New Year in Jamaica

[IMG=20510-6250]The end of December 2005 might be marked with the launch of the first scheduled flight to Jamaica initiated by a hotel chain Sandals & Beaches Resorts and UTE Megapolus Group after a ten-year break. The Pioneer of the destination was Svetal that organized the first New Year flight to the island even before crises of 1998. Thus, Elena Sokolova, the Head of Sandals & Beaches Resorts in Eastern Europe, said: ‘Jamaica is a perspective destination comparing to already promoted Cuba and Dominican Republic. At the moment the island is visited by around 1, 300 Russian tourists per year, but there is an interest in Jamaica that can be stimulated by a launch of a flight to the destination’. Furthermore, Alla Chumak, the Head of the Caribbean Destination of UTE Megapolus Group, stated: ‘At the moment it is too early to discuss the details, however, we take actions towards realization of our plan. We need to attract attention of both tourists and tour operators that work with exotic destinations and will be ready to co-operate with us. The demand is high during the New Year period. Therefore, I believe in success of the flight to Jamaica’. Meanwhile, tour operators that specialize in the Caribbean region doubt the success of the Jamaican initiative. They point out that being expensive (a tour costs around $ 3, 500) the destination is in demand with individual tourists for whom it is convenient to fly to Jamaica via Frankfurt or London’. Andrey Kuznetsov, General Director of Bureau South Cross, emphasized: ‘the Jamaican flight will need a serious advertising support, promotion and travel companies that will take blocks of seats. Moreover, during New Year period many flights will be operated to Bali, the Maldives, Brazil, Goa and other exotic destinations. Will the flight to Jamaica be in demand in such tough competition?’.