TORONTO — The Jamaica Tourist Board is launching a new virtual travel agent engagement series this month with the Jamaica Winter Open House taking place Feb. 21 from 1 – 3 p.m. ET.

The informal drop-in session, hosted on Zoom, will showcase new developments on the island, plus there will be a Q&A session, and a chance for agents to learn about the JTB’s programs and activations in market.

Destination Jamaica will host Open House events on a quarterly basis throughout 2024. The online sessions will be led by the JTB Canada Sales Team: Dan Hamilton, Racquel Queensborough, Émilie Giguère and Sonia Machado. For the Feb. 21 session, the JTB team will be joined by special guest Nicholas Watson, Head of International Sales for VIP Attractions (Club Mo Bay and Club Kingston).

“The JTB Canada team is looking forward to connecting with retail agents from across the country in this casual setting,” said Angella Bennett, Regional Director, Canada, JTB. “Each quarterly Open House will be designed to be a free-flowing conversation with no formal script or agenda. We encourage agents to drop in and connect with us and our special guests to learn about the destination, get their questions answered and have some fun.”

The JTB hosted popular Irie Hour sessions throughout 2020 and 2021, at the height of the pandemic. Much like that series, Jamaica’s quarterly Open House sessions will nurture a sense of community among participants, says Bennett. Agents can connect with industry friends and colleagues while also getting to know their BDM.

Attendees can log in on camera or dial in by phone. Questions and comments can be shared publicly or posted in a private chat.

The quarterly series will continue with a Spring Open House on May 21, featuring special guest Ilia Tomlinson from Chukka Caribbean Adventures. The Summer Open House is scheduled for Aug. 21 and the Fall Open House for Nov. 21.

To register for the first installment of the Jamaica Open House Series, go to visitjamaica.com/canada/openhouse.

The JTB Canada team also provides free online training on the last Thursday of every month as part of its Jamaica Training University program (visitjamaica.com/canada/training-university), for more in-depth learning. The immersive destination training sessions cover resort areas, attractions, hotel properties, travel requirements and much more. Classes are hosted on Zoom at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in English, and at 12 p.m. in French.