JTB Bloggers Linkup: The Beginning

Our Travel Bus to Montego Bay

On Thursday June 15 Over 25 bloggers and travel writers converged on on the second city, Montego Bay, to explore what the Jamaican well known resort areas has to offer. This is not the first Bloggers Linkup ever to be held in Jamaica as several Caribbean Bloggers have has such an event twice before in  Kingston Jamaica. However the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Bloggers Linkup is the first of its kind, a corporate sponsored Bloggers Linkup, and definitely the first of such a magnitude. The Bloggers Linkup is an initiative by the JTB to use the information highway, the internet, and its fast growing social media such as blogs, travel websites and twitter to not only introduce, but promote what Jamaica has to offer. This medium allows independent writers to have a Jamaican experience which they can share to their readers without the promotional skewing needed by an agency such as the JTB. Such bloggers and travel writers would be in a position to describe Jamaica based on what they have experienced and in their own way of writing, a reality marketing you may call it.

Secrets Resorts Wild Orchid

Included in this contingency of travel and writing interests, are Jamaican bloggers who were invited to participate in this project, yours truly included. We all departed from the JTB head office in Kingston at approximately 11:00 am destined for our accommodation in the country;s second city, Montego Bay. They JTB certainly knows how to choose a resort, as they chose one that certainly would impress even the most avid luxury hotel traveler! What hotel could be so impressive? Well, it is a relatively new resort in the Jamaica resort market, but it certainly not new to impressing! "Welcome home", is how they greet you to this splendid resort called Secrets Resort and Spa Wild Orchid. From the warm welcome, friendly staff and cold damp towel accompanied by bubbling champaign the guest is wooed without even a second thought! But that was just the beginning of what the hotel has to offer!

The Resort lobby

I was escorted to my room, but as I left the beautiful lobby I couldn't help wondering what my room would look like. This though was put to rest instantly when I opened my door and saw the luxurious room that I will be spending my 5 day 4 night stay at the Secrets Resort and Spa Wild Orchid! I would attempt to describe my accommodations, but they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so the pictures below will give you a more vivid idea of the splendour of my room.

For more information on Secrets Resorts you may visit there website secretsresorts.com and you may also follow them on their Facbook Page and Twitter @secretsresorts. The rest of the property is amazing and I will endevour to explore as much of what it has to offer over the next few days despite the busy schedule I have. Yes, I just said busy schedule! We will be touring the north coast for the next few days ranging from St. Ann to Negril in Westomoreland. So stay tuned for my adventures on this extensive North Coast JTB Bloggers Linkup. You may also follow me during my entire stay on this trip by following me on twitter @Stunnerj as well as the experiences or the other bloggers by viewing the hash tag #oneloveja.