MARINA DEL REY, Calif. — On June 4, at an awards ceremony hosted at The Ritz-Carlton Marina del Rey, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) added another milestone to its legacy in global tourism, taking home the award for Best Travel Advisor Support at the annual TravelAge West WAVE Awards. This win marks the 14th time Jamaica has claimed this top honor across the 21-year history of the prestigious industry awards, an unmatched streak that JTB officials say underscores the destination’s longstanding, trust-centered partnership with travel professionals across the United States.
Unlike many industry awards judged by panels or editorial teams, the WAVE Awards draw their results directly from votes cast by practicing travel advisors across the U.S., as well as the readership of TravelAge West, a leading trade publication for North American travel professionals. Honoring the highest-performing destinations, suppliers and service providers across more than 70 categories, the awards center the perspectives of the practitioners who connect travelers with destinations every day.
For JTB, winning the Best Travel Advisor Support award holds unique meaning, because the recognition comes from the very agents who recommend Jamaican getaways to their clients on a daily basis. The honor directly reflects the strength of the island’s ongoing investment in training, fast, responsive client service, and robust on-the-ground support for travel trade partners, JTB representatives noted.
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett expressed deep gratitude for the repeated vote of confidence from the U.S. travel advisor community. “For the 14th time, the travel advisors of the United States have placed their trust in Jamaica, and we receive that vote of confidence with deep gratitude,” Bartlett said. “Behind every booking is an advisor who has chosen to put our island forward to their clients. This award belongs as much to them as it does to us. It signals to the world that when travellers seek an unforgettable Caribbean experience, the professionals they rely on think of Jamaica first.”
Donovan White, JTB’s Director of Tourism, echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that recognition from the advisor community carries more weight than almost any other industry honor. “This category is decided by the people who know our product best, so the recognition is one we value above almost any other,” White explained. “It reflects the work our sales and marketing teams do every day: the training, the prompt service, and the genuine partnership, to ensure advisors have everything they need to sell destination Jamaica with confidence. As we continue to expand our airlift and deepen our presence across the US market, that close relationship with the trade remains central to our strategy.”