Krista Henry and Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writers

Dropping 'Air' from the stellar music event which takes place in Montego Bay, St James, at the end of January to make it the 'Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival' indicates more than the national carrier's relinquishment of title sponsorship.

It could be interpreted as a claim of ownership of the festival by the people of Jamaica - not that the vast majority of those people will be heading to the Rose Hall Aqueduct from January 22-24, to see Lionel Richie, The O'Jays, Maxi Priest and many other musical standouts perform. Chances are, not many will be able to afford the entrance fees of US$80 per night, a two-day pass for US$155 or a season rate of $235. VIP upgrades cost from $20 to US$60.

Added to these are transportation and accommodation costs, for those who live outside Montego Bay and do not wish to take on a long drive back home when the night's entertainment ends.

But it is that accommodation and transportation which the new title sponsors, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), are interested in, though not necessarily of the local variety. Speaking at the official launch of the event at Devon House, St Andrew, recently, Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett said that the JTB was putting nearly US$500,000 into the event.

And he publicly told the organisers, Turn Key Productions, that in return he expected them to deliver the 5,000 visitors they have promised.

Won't let you down

Later in the launch, Walter Elmore of Turn Key promised "we won't let you down. We will continue to put on a world-class event".

Bartlett had made a strong case for tourism based on potential travellers' passions (among them music, sports and health and well-being), saying "music is the greatest of these passions". And he said there was room for two more major annual music events in Jamaica to boost the tourist industry. In addition to Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, there is also Reggae Sumfest in the summer.

Music, it seems, is a passion that pays off. According to an article published in The Gleaner, on January 28, 2007, entitled 'Hotels cash in on jazz festival', it was estimated that the 2007 Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival pumped over $1 billion into Montego Bay's, and by extension Jamaica's, economy. The article claimed hotels in the tourism capital were filled to capacity, restaurants were booked out and the supermarkets were overflowing.

With the current downturn in the world financial sector, anything such that will boost tourist arrivals is naturally very welcome.

The JTB believes music events can generate income on a variety of levels. Deputy director of tourism with responsibility for cruise, attractions and Events, Zachary Harding, told The Sunday Gleaner that there were three major criteria they look for when choosing the 'big four' to be on JTB's calendar. He said, "One is the ability to draw visitors to the island, the ability to generate international PR (public relations), the third is its economic value to the country.

Value

"It's really a balance. An event doesn't have to be strong in all three, but has varying strengths."

When it comes to economic value it also depends on different factors. According to Harding, an event can bring in 20,000 visitors, but not significant international PR, while some events bring in more value when it comes to job creation or have an impact on agriculture. The Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, Harding says, was one that had a number of strengths which would not only benefit the 'bigger heads' but also the 'small man' in the streets of Montego Bay.

"Our initiative is also to strengthen the events that we do have, those that have potential. The Jazz fest, for instance, has a large local component, with people willing to travel to the city. There is also a large PR value and we're working with persons down there as well, such as tour operators. The local tour sites will also get visitors, ground transport will also benefit," Harding said.

Other potential high-yield events, according to Harding, are Reggae Sumfest, Jamaica Carnival and Spring Break. While the JTB has taken on title sponsorship of the jazz and blues festival, plans are not currently in the works to do the same with other events.

It could be argued that the events considered for inclusion in the 'big four' are all in the high-end entry fee range, which asks the question, what about the more 'rootsy' events such as Sting in December and Rebel Salute in January? The biggest one-night show, Sting, draws a local audience of thousands annually. Harding, however, told The Sunday Gleaner that the event wasn't up for consideration, but shouldn't be marked off the calendar. He said, "I think it has potential. There are a lot of people overseas who look at it as a big event. We have to take into consideration other factors such as whether visitors would fly in for the event; that is an area of concern".

Whichever events gets considered for deeper JTB involvement, it seems that entertainment as a viable economic driver is definitely on the cards for the future of tourism.