JTB, Sandals, Secrets Wild Orchid Win U.S. Tourism Awards

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) walked away with two awards at the recent Flight Centre USA Partner Conference in New Jersey.
Based on the results of a survey of more than 1,000 travel agents in the Flight Centre network, the JTB was awarded for Best Customer Service for a Tourist Board and Best Marketing Campaign.
Partnership and celebration was the theme of the inaugural conference, in which over 130 of Flight Centre’s key suppliers participated. The conference included a series of workshops and seminars, as well as presentations by the company’s senior business leaders. Presentations were made by Dean Smith, president of Flight Centre USA; Michelle Kish, president of GOGO Vacations; Billy McDonough, president of Liberty Travel; and John Beauvais, president of FCM Travel Solutions.
“The Jamaica Tourist Board’s sales team has been doing a great job in keeping the destination top of mind for potential travellers,” said Jamaica’s Director of Tourism, John Lynch. He added that being honoured by the travel agent community underscored the agents’ confidence in Jamaica’s tourism product.
“We appreciate the ongoing support and commitment to Jamaica,” he said.
Two other Jamaican brands were also recognized at the event. Sandals Resorts received five awards, while Secrets Wild Orchid was voted Best New Resort.
“It was important that these awards were voted on by our frontline selling agents, since it truly recognizes our partners’ efforts in working with our agents in training, customer service and the quality of their brands,” remarked Dean Smith.
Flight Centre USA was formed in early 2008, when Flight Centre Limited acquired retail-based travel agency, Liberty Travel (comprising 160 store locations and over 700 travel consultants), and its sister company, travel wholesaler GOGO Worldwide Vacations, making Flight Centre Limited one of the world’s largest and most successful travel groups.