Business View Caribbean | September 2019

39 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN SEPTEMBER 2019 DOLPHIN COVE JAMA I CA Specialists. The Group has certification from a variety of international organizations: ALLIANCE, AMPA; IMATA, IAAPA, ASTA, S.R.E., AZA, AMERICAN HUMANE, AMHMAR, ensuring the highest standard of care for all the mammals and animals. Marketing is based on good relationships in the tourism industry. Dolphin Cove Jamaica sells destination packages through tour operators, and the parent company in Mexico also sells them online on its corporate website. “We have a lot of support from all the hotels,” says Burrowes, “and we work closely with the tour operators and the Ministry of Tourism. Our technology is always expanding. We are open year-round, and we do a lot of business with the cruise ship industry, so that’s our biggest time. But in summer we try to promote to our residents and school children. They go home with memories and stories to tell.” Dolphin Cove is a great community partner. They have adopted a school and sponsor school children, as well as giving to the police force, the Autistic Society, and the Cancer Society. Not surprisingly, Dolphin Cove has won numerous awards as the Top Attraction in Jamaica. When it first opened in Ocho Rios, the location was targeted by activists who were against the mammals being held in captivity. But after a visit to the park, they learned that things were not as they imagined. As Burrowes reports, “We have had activists come in and they have seen our facility and they recognize that the dolphins are free to come and go. They are in the ocean. Dolphins can jump great heights. We have some stones there, but it’s more for weather than to keep the dolphins in. All our Dolphin Cove parks in Jamaica are in the ocean, and if the dolphins weren’t happy they would not reproduce as often as they do. In 2017, we had five babies and we continue to have babies.” The trainers stay with the pregnant dolphins and when there is a baby, they’re on 24-hour watch in the nursery. But who gets to name the little ones? “We all do,” laughs Burrowes. “But maybe we should have a competition. It’s very exciting to have the babies. We have our own vets and our own lab. All the dolphins are cared for as well as we are, Cuban Ambassador visitor to Do pictured Cuban Ambassador visits Dolphin Cove