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The Inside Scoop on Selling The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa and Jewel Runaway Bay Resort in Jamaica have been garnering major attention since their openings. Michele Olivier, regional vice president of sales & marketing for Jewel Resorts, by Aimbridge Hospitality, provides insights for agents on how Jewel Resorts is raising the bar on the Jamaica all-inclusive vacation experience and why savvy agents should be selling both Jewels. What strategy is behind the decision to open the Jewel Runaway Bay Resort, your second resort in Jamaica? We wanted to offer the Jewel Resorts experience to guests of all ages, as we saw there was an opening in the market for such a product. As Dunn's River is adult-only, Runaway Bay is a resort for all ages. The Jewel Runaway Bay Resort is a rebranding of the former Breezes Runaway Bay Beach and Golf Resort in Runaway Bay. Can you detail some of the changes we'll see when Jewel Runaway Bay Resort opens? We've continued to operate the property without closing. We are doing the work in sections to not affect guests' enjoyment of the resort. We've made quite a transformation already! In the lobby the support columns have been taken from gaily painted yellow and green to columns encased in locally crafted rich mahogany. Crown molding and wainscoting has been added in the same material. The front desk reception area and the lobby bar have also been transformed using the same color scheme, creating a more sophisticated atmosphere. Of course, we are also instating our signature Jewel experiences in everything from the lobby, guest rooms, public spaces and have rebranded the restaurants to Jewel's signature themes and cuisine. When will the Jewel Runaway Bay Resort be welcoming its first guests? The resort was purchased in June 2012 and we've been accepting reservations as Jewel Runaway Bay ever since. There are so many all-inclusive resort options when planning a Jamaica vacation. Why should agents recommend The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa and the Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort to their clients over some of the other all-inclusive choices in the field? Jewel Resorts is known for its impeccable service, gorgeous accommodations and attention to detail, raising the bar on what guests can expect from an all-inclusive. We offer not only value but extras that guests can't find elsewhere, like the Jewel experience of our pool concierge who makes sure guests have everything they need wherever they are in the pool whether it be a cocktail or towel. They also offer up skewers of fresh fruit and refreshing towels of cool, eucalyptus-infused water, guests just love it. We also host "Dive In" Movies with "jerk" popcorn at the pool once a week and our expertly prepared Gem of the Day cocktails. Can you provide a capsule description of the typical guest at The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa? We host many couples, honeymooners, newlyweds and wedding guests, empty-nesters, but also groups of friends for bachelorette or bachelor parties or just groups of guy or girls looking to getaway together for a few days of worry-free fun. 20 percent of our guests come from Canada, 10 percent from the UK and 10 percent are Jamaicans living in Jamaica. The rest are from the US, primarily the Northeast and Midwest. Our guests are affluent, passionate about travel, curious about other cultures, enjoy fine food and a touch of romance in everything. Can you also give a snapshot of a typical Jewel Runaway Bay Resort guest? While the resort is all ages and is great for families and multi-generational travel, it's also an ideal resort to have a wedding or spend a honeymoon. The geographical mix is very similar, though Runaway Bay has more European guests than Dunn's River. Europeans favor "low rise" resorts and Runaway, with maximum 3 story buildings, fits that bill. Our guests live comfortably, are well-travelled especially in the Caribbean, adoring of family and have a touch of adventure. On average, do your guests at The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa book escorted tours to experience the off-resort attractions of Jamaica? If so, what types of tours do they book most often? It is said that "all roads lead to Ochi" in Jamaica. No matter which area visitors are in, there is always a reason to come to this part of the island. Dunn's River Falls is the most frequented excursion from our resorts, Mystic Mountain and Dolphin Cove at an equal second, shopping is also very popular, scenic tours of Ocho Rios, "Spirit of Reggae" and tours of the beautiful plantation homes dotting the coast. What's the average length of stay at The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa? Five days from the US, 7 from Canada and 14 from the UK and Europe Will you be making a major effort to attract wedding and group business? And how will your efforts and offerings differ between the two resorts? Absolutely, the wedding and group business is a huge part of both properties. We will be extending the same offerings and wedding packages at both. The only differences between the two are the locations on property where to hold the ceremony, but both properties have gorgeous options or if the wedding party includes children, then Runaway Bay would be the choice. Runaway Bay also has full-function banquet and meeting space for up to 200 indoors and much larger groups outdoors. We have brand marketing in consumer bridal mediums to educate and inform the wedding market about weddings and romance at our Jewel Resorts and lead them to agents to book. We've added to our weddings sales staff in the US, which is exciting news! We have dedicated wedding planners to manage all the details for agents and brides (1-800-951-2997) as well as skilled staff on island who will execute. Another great option for brides is our honeymoon registry Brides set up their registry with on and off property options, send a save the date or build a wedding website with our tools and their wedding guests can purchase on line; instead of a toaster, the couple gets a romantic dinner on the beach! What kind of changes can we expect to see at The Jewel Dunn's River Beach Resort & Spa & Jewel Runaway Bay Resort in 2013? We have a negotiated rate with the taxi association for $10 round trip per person for transportation between resorts; they are located only 20 minutes apart. This way guests have the opportunity to experience the different restaurants, beach, atmosphere and nightlife that make the properties unique. We are also planning a Water Park at Runaway Bay, more details to come! Can we expect to see additional Jewel resorts opening in the Caribbean? If so, which destinations are you considering? Our parent company, Aimbridge Hospitality, has 90 hotels across the US and a definite interest in Caribbean growth. Jewel Resorts is our all-inclusive brand. In addition to our two Jewels in Jamaica, we also manage the Water Beach Club in San Juan and will be opening a Best Western Premier in Petionville, Port-au-Prince, Haiti in late 2012. Our development team is looking at a lot of islands to grow both the Jewel Resorts Brand and the presence of Aimbridge in the Caribbean. Is there a contact person at Jewel that agents can reach out to for information about travel agent rates and fam opportunities? US South and Mid-Atlantic: Bonnie Nicotra Bonnie.Nicotra@aimhosp.com US North, Mid-west and West: Robyn Mitlitsky: robyn.mitlitsky@aimhosp.com Agents can book independent fam rates for Jewel Dunn's River here: Travel Agent Rates for Jewel Dunn's River. https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=29095&Chain=12022&adult=2&promo=TAS120 They can also book directly on our website using Promo Code: TAS12 The booking engine and GDS for Jewel Runaway Bay Beach & Golf Resort will be live the beginning of September. Do you have a message to travel agents who are considering booking their clients into The Jewel Dunn's River or Jewel Runaway Bay Resort? We'd like to let them know they can book their clients with confidence at Jewel Resorts, we strive to make each guest feel special, where no request is too small to accommodate. In fact, Jewel Dunn's River was just awarded the 2012 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor, supporting all the positive feedback we receive from our guests; we have awards from many of our top wholesale partners - MLT Quality assurance award for 2011 and 2012, Outstanding Customer Service Award from Thomas Cook Canada; as well as Expedia's Insiders' Select and Travelocity's Excellence award. We are sure that Runaway Bay will earn the same distinctions in the years to come. We have a just-launched travel agent loyalty program where agents can earn points for bookings and reward themselves with cash and nights. As a former Travel Agent myself, I know how much the personal touch can mean and we offer agents their choice of gifts at the hotel for their clients – in their name. See www.aimbridgerewards.com |
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