On the Road With Karisma Hotels & Resorts

DSC_0315

The 8th annual Karisma Hotels & Resorts Gourmet Inclusive Vacation Consultant (GIVC) sales and marketing forum is currently underway at the El Dorado Royale in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

At an industry session for travel agents yesterday (Dec. 10), Mandy Chomat, VP of sales & marketing, highlighted news and expansion plans slated for the luxury hotel collection including:

  • The development of Sugarcane Bay, a 226-acres property with 1.4 miles of beachfront in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, which will have a shopping area and potentially a casino.
  • Expansions into Puerto Vallarta and Huatulco, as well as a Nickelodeon resort next door to Generations Riviera Maya, Mexico. Sixty rooms will also be added to the Azul Fives Hotel in Playa del Carmen.
  • Effective in the New Year, GIVC partners will earn 21% commission, up from the current 19%.
  • Agents can now make reservations for May 2016 at Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana, Nickelodeon’s first-ever international hotel property.

Industry partners also attended a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the new El Dorado Seaside Suites, which opens to the public on Dec. 15, and a themed Wild West night to kick-off the forum. Celebrations continue tonight with a dinner and banquet for the GIVC Awards, honouring top performing international travel professionals. Stay tuned for more coverage in Monday’s newsletter.

Pictured (l-r) at the event are Wykeham McNeill, minister of tourism and entertainment of Jamaica, Chomat, and Paul Pennicook, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board.