Hays Travel Hosts Jamaica’s Largest UK Trade Engagement
The Jamaica Tourist Board’s largest UK trade promotion to date came to life today as they teamed up with Hays Travel to put on a jam-packed day at the agency’s head office. The purpose was to give the travel agents a real taste of Jamaica, the ultimate aim of which was to build enough confidence in them to inspire clients to travel to the island.
How the Jamaica Takeover Day Came Together at Hays Travel
The Jamaica Tourist Board knew exactly what it was getting in Hays Travel as not only is the UK’s largest independent travel retailer a force of over 500 branches nationwide, but engaging Hays agents meant it got right into the heart of British holidaymakers who book through credible high street agents when deciding where to holiday next.
The event welcomed the JTB and its hotel partners across every corner of the Hays Travel operation including the sales floor, social media team, accounts department and support functions. More than 60 homeworkers also joined the session online, ensuring the experience extended well beyond the physical office walls.
More Than 160 Travel Agents Trained on Jamaica in a Single Day
One of the most impressive outcomes of the day was the sheer scale of agent training it delivered. In total more than 160 members of staff received destination training focused on Jamaica, with over 100 attending in person throughout the event.
The hotel partners who participated played a central role in making that training meaningful and practical. Iberostar, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Grand Palladium and TUI each ran dedicated sessions giving agents the product knowledge and commercial confidence they need to recommend Jamaica to their customers with authority and genuine enthusiasm.
A Day Built Around Culture Food and the Spirit of Jamaica
The training element was only part of what made the day memorable. The Jamaica Tourist Board designed the event to engage all the senses and create a lasting emotional connection with the destination rather than simply delivering a standard information session.
Employees got a Taste of Jamaica that helped bring their island’s food culture to the office. Among the items that were offered up: jerk chicken, rice and peas, pumpkin soup, plantain chips and several Jamaican drinks and snacks. Having the food there “was our first real-life experience of Jamaican cooking,” one guest raved. “No brochure or slide show.”
Games Prizes and Competitions Kept Energy High All Day
Beyond the food the Jamaica Tourist Board ensured the event stayed lively and engaging from start to finish. A full programme of games and competitions ran throughout the day with prizes that included rum giveaways and complimentary hotel stays. A live quiz and dance competition brought additional energy to proceedings and a spin the wheel activity emerged as one of the most popular moments of the entire event.
The day concluded with a Jamaica knowledge quiz that attendees later described as a genuine highlight. Each member of staff also received a Jamaican bracelet as a personal keepsake and a small thank you for their participation.
What the Partnership Means for Jamaica Bookings in the UK
The event was not simply a celebration of a strong destination. It was a strategic investment in the relationship between Jamaica and one of the most influential retail travel networks in the country. Torrance Lewis, District Sales Manager at the Jamaica Tourist Board, spoke about what the day represented for the board and its ambitions in the UK market.
He noted that Hays Travel is a key partner for the JTB and that events of this kind allow the board to ensure that agents feel genuinely connected to what Jamaica has to offer including its culture, warmth and world class hospitality. He added that the overwhelmingly positive response from staff gave the JTB real confidence that the enthusiasm generated on the day would translate into increased bookings for clients.
Andrew Pickering, Partnerships Manager at Hays Travel, commented on the valuable learning for his team, and the importance of this kind of quality of partnership for his business. ‘The Tourist Board delivered Jamaica in a way which was engaging in an authentic manner and the dynamism, culture and product knowledge the team gleaned from the day have given Hays a truly firm footing for future Jamaica sales,’ said Pickering.
Staff Feedback Confirmed the Day as One of the Best of the Year
The numbers from the post-event survey demonstrated just how much impact and engagement was created at The Hays Travel offices that day. After the takeover, survey results revealed 87% of those attending believe the day was better than anticipated and the takeover rated 8 out of 10. This marks the takeover as one of the agency’s highest performing events of the last year!
Tricia Birmingham, Commercial Director of Hays Travel, described the response from her team as speaking for itself. She noted that the Tourist Board brought real energy to the head office and that staff genuinely loved learning about Jamaica as a destination. She added that the thought and effort the JTB invested in making the experience inspirational and engaging was evident in everything from the product workshops to the food tasting and prize activities.
Jamaica Strengthens Its Long Term Commitment to the UK Travel Trade
The Hays Travel takeover day sits within a broader and ongoing programme of activity through which the Jamaica Tourist Board is deepening its relationships across the UK trade. The goal is to equip agents with the tools, knowledge and personal connection to the destination that they need to sell it confidently and effectively to their customers.
For travel professionals who want to learn more about what Jamaica offers and to start building holiday packages for their clients, further information is available at visitjamaica.com.
Conclusion
The Jamaica Tourist Board’s takeover day at Hays Travel demonstrated what destination marketing looks like when it moves beyond leaflets and presentations and instead creates a real lived experience. By combining structured agent training from leading hotel partners with food culture games and prizes the JTB gave more than 160 travel professionals a personal connection to the island that is far more likely to influence future booking conversations than any traditional promotional campaign. With 87 percent of staff saying the day exceeded expectations the event set a strong benchmark for what trade engagement in UK travel retail can achieve.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What was the Jamaica Takeover Day at Hays Travel?
It was a full day immersive destination training event organised by the Jamaica Tourist Board at the Hays Travel head office. The event combined destination training led by major hotel brands with cultural experiences including Jamaican food, games, competitions and prizes.
How many Hays Travel staff took part in the event?
More than 160 members of staff received Jamaica destination training on the day with over 100 attending in person and more than 60 homeworkers joining the event online.
Which hotel brands took part in the training sessions?
Iberostar, Sandals and Beaches Resorts, Grand Palladium and TUI each delivered dedicated training sessions during the event to help agents build the product knowledge they need to recommend Jamaica to customers.
How did staff rate the Jamaica Takeover Day?
Post event feedback showed that 87 percent of attendees said the day exceeded their expectations and the event received an overall score of 8 out of 10 making it one of the strongest takeover events of the past year at Hays Travel.
Discover how Jamaica and Hays Travel are boosting UK travel expertise with Global Critique.
