News From JAPEX

OCHO RIOS, JAMAICA—Travel Agent recently attended a media breakfast hosted by SuperClubs Resorts at the recent Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2007. SuperClubs' Executive Chairman John Issa told attendees about plans for a 203-room hotel in Sergipe, Brazil's smallest state on the northeastern Atlantic coast.

The new Starfish Santa Luzia will be on the estuary island of Santa Luzia. The resort, which will be the first Starfish brand launched in Brazil, is slated to open its doors by the end of the year. It will have three restaurants serving Italian, Japanese and Continental cuisine, a spa and a KidsCenter.

There will also be amenities for corporate clients, as the resort will have eight meeting rooms and the ability to cater functions for up to 1,600 people.

 

Issa: SuperClubs' Passport Incentives Are Popular, but Also Limiting Profits

Issa told media that SuperClubs' ongoing passport program has encouraged more than 2,000 visitors to obtain a passport. In the "Passport Included" Promotion for getaways booked by May 31, SuperClubs pays guests' passport fees (up to $97 per person) for every booking in the Caribbean or the Bahamas. However, since the company reimburses the cost, Issa noted that SuperClubs' profits are being hurt from the program. "There is nothing positive about the passport regulations," Issa said.

Chukka Caribbean Adventures Launches New Booking Engine

Chukka Caribbean Adventures launched a new online booking engine on March 15 and plans to extend its features this month, says Marc Melville, the company's co-managing director. Melville says the new engine, available at www.chukkacaribbean.com offers agents a 10 percent commission. In May, the engine will include a feature that will display clients' booking history and qualify agents for a Chukka incentives program. For every booking, agents will receive a commission as well as "Chukka Dollars," which are redeemable for numerous gifts, Melville said. Chukka Caribbean Adventures' web site now offers commissions and incentives

Half Moon's New $4 Million Spa to Be Ready by the Summer

Half Moon's new 68,000-square-foot spa will be ready by this summer. The resort, in Rose Hall, Jamaica, offers agents a 12 percent commission. The project began last summer. For booking information, call Myrtle V. Dwyer, director of sales and marketing (800-626-0592, [email protected]). Renderings of a relaxation room and courtyard at Fern Tree, the Spa at Half Moon in Jamaica