Half Moon Hotel
Janet Silvera, Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
HALF MOON Hotel's Direc-tor of Sales, Myrtle Dwyer, says the money-making US$124 million Meetings and Conventions market remains highly untapped by Jamaica. If we were pursued, it could result in a doubling of the country's overall tourism revenue.
Ms. Dwyer, who presented on the topic, 'What meetings, incentives and group product can do for your bottom line,' at the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC), held recently in Puerto Rico, told Sunday Business that the group market can offer an alternate source of business especially for small hotels.
She said that many in the tourism industry fail to realise the viable potential that the group market represents. "Unwisely they submit to a notion that group business is only for the larger hotels with multiple meeting rooms and high-priced audio/visual (facilities)."
Ms. Dwyer, who is a specialist on the group market, suggested that the small hotel sector, if marketed smartly, and operated and teamed appropriately with other suppliers in the community, can overcome its size and generate tremendous revenue from the meetings and conventions business. "The average group is 50 people now, because groups are downsizing due to economic difficulties," she said.
127-ROOM PROPERTY
The hotel executive reported that Half Moon Hotel, which evolved from a 127-room property in the 1980s to 420 rooms in 2004, has harnessed the power of the group market, making tremendous gains in the process.
"To date the group market constitutes 30 per cent of our revenue and we are anticipating a significant increase of 40- 45 per cent within the next two years," she said.
A number of other Jamaican hotels, such as Wyndham Rose Hall, Jamaica Grande, as well as some Sandals and SuperClubs properties have seen the potential of the market and now have their own groups department.
Ms. Dwyer's comments were supported by Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), president Godfrey Dyer, who also attended the conference. He said Jamaica is wasting time when it comes to the groups and convention market. "With brand Jamaica being in obvious demand today, it's time to concentrate more heavily on targeting this area," he said.
