WESTERN BUREAU:

Organisers of the Jamaica Product Exchange (Japex) have concurred that this year's staging, which ended yesterday at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort and Spa in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, was the best ever.

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) said delegates from as far as Russia, Italy, Finland and the United Kingdom were in attendance buying Jamaica's products and services.

The North American partners were on the island in full force, inspecting all the improvements in the island's hotels, its local infrastructure and attractions, with a view to primarily sell Jamaica to its most important audience - the United States, where 72 per cent of all Jamaica's tourists come from.

Excellent show

Minister of Tourism and Culture Aloun Assamba described Japex 2007 as an excellent show.

"It is larger than it was last year. The response that I have had from our local partners is that they have been doing good business. For me that's what Japex is all about - increasing the business," Minister Assamba said.

Josef Forstmayr, chairman of the JHTA organising committee, said Japex 2007 was a very successful show.

"The presentations by our Jamaican partners makes it the best year ever. It makes me proud to see the entire industry bonded together so strongly to present Jamaica at its best to our international travel partners."

This is the 17th staging of the event. Over 430 delegates are participating in the three-day show.

Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, in officially opening Japex on Sunday night, commended the JHTA and the JTB for reeling off yet another successful year.

- N.T.