Ocho Rios will host the 22nd annual Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX), from September 21-23, 2012. The island’s premier travel trade show, JAPEX will take place at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa. JAPEX serves as a forum for leading Jamaican suppliers of the island’s tourism product to meet with travel wholesalers and tour operators from Europe and the Americas. Last year’s JAPEX attendance featured 136+ representatives from approximately 98 buyer companies along with 248+ participants from 91 supplier companies.

Hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), the trade show also includes networking sessions, evening affairs, destination familiarization tours, and team-building activities.

“JAPEX is the ideal opportunity for qualified international buyers, travel wholesalers and tour operators to discuss the island’s tourism product with our finest suppliers,” said John Lynch, Jamaica’s Director of Tourism. “It’s an invaluable opportunity for our local tourism partners, particularly the smaller companies, to have direct interaction with the trade industry and update them on what’s new and upcoming in our marketplace.”

An important marketing tool for the island, JAPEX is appointment-based and pre-scheduled in the following ways:

– The Perfect-Match Appointment: A buyer requests a supplier and the same supplier requests that buyer.
– The Buyer-Requested Appointment: This is based solely upon the buyer’s request for a meeting with a supplier.

Jamaica Tourist Board, www.visitjamaica.com