Susan Smith, Staff Reporter
JAMES
"THE PRIMARY purpose of the company is to get persons to experience the real Jamaica," said founder and managing director of Leisure for Pleasure travel agency, Judith James.
With 10 years experience in banking and seven years in marketing and computing, Miss James confessed she had no previous training in travel before launching her business. Her passion to make people happy along with strong administrative skills was enough to make the venture a success.
"I enjoy taking the headaches out of the arrangement for events, so this was a birthing of a passion I had," she said.
CHALLENGES
She told Wednesday Business that her company, now seven years old, was started with less than J$100,000.
Situated at 32 Hagley Park Road in St. Andrew, it has grown from a single computer, desk and one staff member to a fully furnished office and 10 employees and has served more than 3,000 clients.
Miss James said it is costly to run a tour company and travel agency because of the seasonal nature of the travel industry.
The crime factor is another issue of concern. "I once got a request from someone overseas for a body guard or security for the group," she said.
And the recent increase in GCT bodes negatively for business."Tour companies set contracts for the year and have already published their rates overseas. Now, you have to change your formula for the entire year," she continued. "We now have to be changing our formula in the middle of the year which is crazy!"
SHIFT IN BUSINESS
With regards to the recent inconsistencies with Air Jamaica, Miss James said it has not impacted her business in terms of revenue loss.
"People will just want to book with a more reliable airline. I cannot deal with the unreliability of an airline for business," she said.
Miss James says she has observed a shift in the industry over the years.
"In the 1990s, outgoing packages, for example Disney tours, were the mainstay. But the policy for taking groups overseas has changed at the U.S. Embassy because people have abused the system," she explained. "You saw a turndown in that aspect of the business after that."
Today, the embassy is demanding an individual interview with each group members instead of representative interviews.
EXPANSION
"We want to look at the inbond business and particularly the overseas market," Miss James said.
Leisure for Pleasure is aiming to have 60 per cent of its tourism business from clients coming into Jamaica. It has recently forged link with Poland where the agencies there informed her that there was no company there to connect them with Jamaica.
"We also want to look at honeymoon packages and in a few years from now, take in a person to organise sporting events," she added.
Organising school and other reunions will be something else she intends to focus on.
