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Black Meetings & Tourism April/May 2009: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 23 DONALD C. SEWELL JAMAICAN TOURIST BOARD BY VICTORIA HEAD Born on the beautiful island of Jamaica, Donald C. Sewell has always had a deep fondness for his home- land and people. "Jamaica is a truly wonderful place," says Sewell, "there are breathtaking beaches, moun- tains and acres of virgin territory and trails, but none of this impresses me more than the people. The peo- ple of Jamaica are warm, friendly, open and endearing; experiencing the beauty that is Jamaica, keeps people coming back, making it one of the highest return loca- tions for visitors in the Caribbean." At the age of 5, Sewell had to leave Jamaica with his father who was relocating to Germany. Over the next 16 years, Sewell would visit his homeland during the summers; however, Germany was his new home. Sewell learned to speak German and attended col- lege there, graduating with a major in history. After college, he did some work as an industrial mechanic, but couldn't deny his desire to return home. Though it seemed that his career would be in mechanical engineering, upon returning to Jamaica, his ability to speak fluent German and his love and knowledge of the island, aided him in obtaining employ- ment with the Jamaican Tourist Board. His initial duties at the Tourist Board consisted of assisting sales representatives in planning their itineraries and tours for clients; but, within months, Sewell found himself excelling in the company as a sales representa- tive, planning his own itineraries. Sewell is responsible for arranging agendas for visiting journalists, travel agents, special interest and incentive groups, as well as television crews that come to Jamaica needing to find the perfect film location. On any given day, he takes eager visitors to the different regions of his diverse island. Sewell says, "Jamaica has something for every- one; the north coast hosts snorkeling, water attrac- tions, coves, rivers and great plantation houses; to the east in Spanish Town & Kingston, you have museums, recording studios and an array of Jamaican culture; the south coast has lots of beautiful land, farming and peaceful wide open spaces; the west, magnificent beaches, and then there's Montego Bay and the ele- gant corridor, which houses some of the most luxuri- ous hotels in the Caribbean along with the high end villas in Tryall." "I believe I have found my place here at the JTB, because I have always wanted to do something that could help my country and people," says Sewell. In this capacity, I am able to meet those who are seeking information to get their businesses started or get involved with the JTB. I'm glad that I am able to be a resource for them." Sewell notes that one of the most enjoyable parts of his job is being able to connect peo- ple. The JTB has a program called Meet The People where Sewell is able to introduce Jamaican visitors to locals that have similar interests. "I love this program because I have seen some very fruitful relation- ships come out of these meet- ings; people are able to share information and create lasting memories," states Sewell. "Through Meet The People, individuals have come together and the results have been the building of churches, schools and various donations to worthy causes; these relationships have proven to be of benefit to those involved and to the community." Sewell looks forward to his future with the Jamaican Tourist Board. He would like to someday work abroad for the JTB, perhaps in Germany, The United Kingdom, The U.S. or Canada, putting together road shows and trade shows and getting more tourists stirred up to make their first of many visits to the beautiful island of Jamaica. You can direct questions regarding visiting Jamaica or the Tourist Board to Donald Sewell by emailing him at dsewell@visitjamaica.com. Donald C. Sewell