Meliá Braco Spreads Jamaican Christmas Cheer
Executives from Jamaica’s Meliá Braco Village are on hand in Toronto this week to celebrate and thank travel industry partners for their support.
“Meliá Braco is now in its second year of operations and these great tour operators in Canada like Transat, Sunwing, ACV, TravelBrands, WestJet, they have really stood behind the product in Jamaica and made it a success story,” Angella Bennett, sales and marketing director, told PressToday at a cocktail party last night (Dec. 12) for its top producing travel agents at Sassafraz Restaurant. “This year we’re doing exceptionally well. The hotel has really matured into the Canadian market and it’s because of the support of these travel agents here tonight and our tour operator partners. The success belongs to them and we just want to celebrate them.”
The trade mission continues with a lunch event for tour operators later today, which will see travel industry veteran Wayne Noseworthy recognized for his contributions to tourism in Jamaica.
“He is Mr. Jamaica and we want to take this opportunity to say thanks to him for the great service he has done for Jamaica, he has worked with Jamaica for over 25 years, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with him and building the product Jamaica,” she says. “He is a friend to the island, I think every hotelier on the island knows Wayne Noseworthy and we just want to say thanks to him.”
Looking ahead to 2018, Bennett says Meliá Braco will focus on growing its weddings business with the recent addition of a new 3,000 square-foot bridal suite complete with a makeup station, wedding dress wardrobe, and a dressing room.
“In addition to that they know that we have the adventure park, we have beautiful restaurants, we have the Level, which is the high-end part of the hotel that has the 52 beachfront suites and just to remember when it gets really cold in Toronto, there is a beachfront property in Jamaica, Meliá Braco Village awaits them,” she says.
As for travel agents, she says they can continue earning points for every booking, and can expect more webinars in the coming months.
“If you want to sell this property, guests never ever have to wait for a restaurant reservation, and we have five restaurants to choose from in a 232-room property,” she says. “One thing to remember as well is this year we have our $1,300 resort credit coupon, so every stay of seven-nights and over, they get a coupon with over $1,300 of discounts in this booklet.”
For any first-time visitors Bennett recommends travellers don’t leave without trying jerk chicken and Jamaican patties, as well as a variety of local fare at the hotel’s weekly Friday night street party.
Pictured above at the reception, which featured live music and a prize giveaway for a four-night beachfront suite stay at the luxury property, are general manager Dimitris Kosvogiannis and Bennett.
