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Contributed - Countrystyle's Diana McIntyre-Pike (left), the Swiss television crew and members of the community of Beeston Spring, Westmoreland, who are being featured on the European channel.

Swiss TV features Countrystyle Tourism Village

Countrystyle Tourism Village's tour - Beeston Spring, Westmoreland - is to be featured on the new Travel Magazine programme on Swiss National Television www.sfunterwegs.sf.tv).

The team that produced the highly successful, multiple award-winning series Simply Luxurious for five years (2002-2007), was recently in Jamaica from January 5-13 preparing a travel documentary on the island which included Beeston Spring.

The Swiss National Television producer Jochen Frank and his team featured a natural and cultural tour of Beeston Spring Village, which is offered by the Countrystyle Community Tourism Network, highlighting a community welcome with a Swiss visitor Andrea, her homestyle accommodation, preparing and enjoying a traditional Jamaican breakfast with her hostess Rena Lawrence.

The television shoot included entertainment by the Mighty Beestons Mento Band and a dynamic domino game with the youths in the community. The tour was guided by one of Countrystyle's Community guides, Angel Mitsy White, a Rastafarian and direct descendant of Nanny of the Maroons who was featured with the Swiss visitor walking and talking in the Beeston Spring countryside.

five feature stories

"This Swiss Travel programme has four or five feature stories about interesting people from Jamaica and the focus is on life experience," said Countrystyle Community Tourism Network chairman, Diana McIntyre-Pike.

According to the ambassador of community tourism, the presenters heard the fascinating stories, which are emotive, about the life of the people who described extraordinary experiences typical of their country: love stories, successes, dreams, hopes and disappointments.

The programme also features how to reach Jamaica, tips on preparing for the trip, explanation of the culture and customs and how to travel around the country using the diverse accommodation, unique tour experiences, costs and entertainment available. "Viewers will have fun being carried on an emotional journey as they will experience the positive aspects of Jamaica first hand," boasted McIntyre-Pike.

She said that this Swiss Travel feature will assist in paving the way forward for marketing the Countrystyle Tourism Village Community experiences in Switzerland and other European countries.

Village coordinator of Beeston Spring, Astil Gage, and the Beeston Spring Community Development Committee were delighted to be the Village chosen, having won numerous local awards from the National Best Community Competition and programme, and, recently, a J$500,000 grant from the Sandals Foundation to assist them with the further development of community tourism.