For four days in December, the Jamaica Tourist Board, in partnership with MPI, welcomed more than 20 guests to the iconic island for a unique incentive FAM trip.
“The main goal was to familiarize planners who are sourcing warm weather destinations for their meetings, incentives, conferences and events to consider Jamaica for their next program,” explains John Woolcock, manager of groups and conventions for the Jamaica Tourist Board. “This opportunity allowed the destination to showcase its varied product offerings and immersive experiences that are known to ‘wow’ clients, while keeping programs relevant, unique and exciting. It also allowed the buyers to see firsthand just how accessible the destination is, with convenient airlift.”
Hearing from Elizabeth Pardillo, CMP (MPI Greater Orlando Chapter), meeting and event strategist, Maritz Global Events, one of the buyers in attendance, it’s clear that the original goals of the event—for both her and the Jamaica Tourist Board—were surpassed.
“My goals were to experience a destination that I not only hadn’t been to before, but to gather comprehensive information and insights about this destination for my groups as they plan their future meetings and events,” Pardillo says. “I wanted to understand the ease of travel into the destination, the type of properties and their meeting space, local cuisine and any unique experiences Jamaica offered for groups.
“Visit Jamaica and MPI put on a fantastic experience for our planner group! [This trip] was the perfect amount of time—not too short or too long—and provided a plethora of insights into this destination. Overall, the experience exceeded my expectations, providing me with the information and inspiration I needed to further explore and book groups in this destination for the future.”
Pardillo appreciated experiencing the adults-only Ocean Eden Bay resort as a meeting attendee.
“I loved hearing stories about the culture of Jamaica, interacting with locals and having the best service and kindness from everyone during the trip,” she says. “Through engaging discussions and networking, I gained valuable knowledge about the destination’s culture, cuisine, group meeting and event opportunities, recreational activities and more!”
Asked about one specific eye-opening component of the experience, Pardillo readily had an answer.
“We got to visit Chukka Hope—2,000 acres of lush plant life where we could zipline, go on bamboo rafts, explore, relax by the pools and even do an Appleton Rum tasting,” she says. “As a group, I feel like this was a good bonding experience, and showed us a unique opportunity for our groups outside of having meetings at the hotels, to experience what Jamaica has to offer! I was able to do the bamboo rafting and loved it! Calming, peaceful, fantastic tour guides—and even a limestone pedicure!”
Pardillo says all these moments left a lasting impression, deepening her appreciation for the destination’s culture and igniting an enthusiasm to explore it even more.
One unexpected bonus of participating in this event, she adds, was the valuable time networking with industry peers.
“I went into this event not knowing anyone going, and I feel like I walked away with new friends and fantastic people to keep in touch with,” she says. “We talked to each other about our own groups, own planning experiences and learned a lot from each other in a short amount of time.”
Woolcock says the Jamaica Tourist Board worked with MPI for this event, in part, because of how highly regarded the association is among planners.
“MPI remains a strong partner for Jamaica,” he says. “The event was tremendously successful and our supplier partners, along with planners, found the level of engagement to be highly productive. We are all looking forward to our next fam experience with MPI.”
