By Roy Sanford, Freelance WriterWESTERN BUREAU:
TOURISM OFFICIALS are optimistic that a new flight from The Netherlands, which is slated to make its inaugural flight to Jamaica next month, will have a great impact on the ailing tourist industry on the island.
The new flight, Martinair, is expected to begin in September and will coincide with a visit by a prize winner from the Netherlands National Lottery.
"For us, it is a great achievement as the Dutch are avid travellers and have the greatest propensity to stay in smaller hotels and really explore the country," David Barber, Deputy Director of Tourism Worldwide of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) said in response to inquiries from The Gleaner.
According to Barber, who is based in London, since the new flight was confirmed some three months ago, the JTB has been working to give the island a positive perception to the Dutch and at the same time has initiated a marketing thrust on the Dutch market.
"We had to work very hard in the Dutch market to overcome and transform negative perceptions of Jamaica into positive ones," he said. "There has been a greater marketing thrust on the Dutch market with three television crews in Jamaica, a large number of journalists travelling to the island, travel agent educational trips and increase coverage of Jamaica in Dutch tour operators brochures," he noted.
Barber also said that the new flight would help ease demands from Germany.
