Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2025 is expected to be the biggest ever, with a record number of industry stakeholders, including 116 international buyers from more than 25 countries.

An annual event, organised by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) in partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), JAPEX brings together wholesalers, tour operators and travel agents with Jamaica’s tourism suppliers to conduct business, while highlighting the island’s unique cultural experiences and warm hospitality.  

This year’s trade show will be held from September 21 to 24 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, under the theme ‘JAPEX 2025: Ready, Set Go’.

President of the JHTA, Christopher Jarrett, said JAPEX is “not just another event”, stating that it is a platform to conduct business, sign contracts and “where the future of Jamaica’s tourism industry is shaped”.

He was speaking at a press conference for the launch of JAPEX 2025 held on Monday, September 15, at the JTB offices in New Kingston.

Jarrett called on local suppliers to participate in the event.

“JAPEX is designed as a marketplace and for it to thrive, we need strong representation from both sides. While international buyers are here in record numbers, our suppliers, our hoteliers, attractions, transport providers, and service partners must rise to meet this opportunity,” he said.

Director of Tourism, Donovan White, in his remarks, hailed JAPEX as a critical avenue for driving growth in tourism and, by extension, Jamaica’s economy.

He pointed out that tourism contributes more than 30 per cent to Jamaica’s gross domestic product (GDP), provides 30 per cent of the country’s workforce and “is a significant contributor to our foreign direct investment index”.

“The strategic importance of JAPEX, in this regard, is to continue to allow us to bring our buyers… to do business in tourism and to ensure that we can build that sustainable path to growth in a long-term way,” he said.

White highlighted JAPEX as a means of advertising the various offerings of Brand Jamaica by allowing potential buyers to have a first-hand experience.

“That’s why we have this event every year, because it is so important to ensure that we can continually bring our business partners to the destination to meet with our suppliers who are our private-sector owners, which includes not just hotels,” he said.

“We’re talking about our destination management companies (DMCs)… our attractions… our airports… our transportation companies, our tour companies that are all part of what makes up the tourism product,” he added.

Chair of the JAPEX Planning Committee Nicola Madden-Greig, in outlining the slate of activities over the four-day staging, informed that the opening ceremony on September 21 will take a different approach this year.

The event will be held at Harmony Beach Park, providing delegates with the opportunity to interact with locals and experience Jamaica’s warm hospitality, while enjoying various offerings at the venue.

“Normally, we have our opening with just the delegates, and this is an opportunity for them to mix and mingle with the local population and see what a fantastic event is put on every end of month at the Harmony Beach Park,” Madden-Greig said.

Monday, September 22, will be a travel forum, which will include information sessions focusing on unique aspects of the Jamaican and international markets.

Among the sessions is one that will dissect the Latin American market and how it can be developed, as well as the possibility of airlift services and other opportunities in the space.

On Tuesday, September 23 there will be one-on-one appointments between buyers and suppliers, which will continue Wednesday morning (September 24), and during the afternoon, members of the delegation will visit different parts of the country for a full immersive experience of destination Jamaica.

The closing ceremony will be held on Wednesday night at Sandals Montego Bay.