By Adrian Frater, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE PROMOTERS of Reggae Sumfest 2003 are predicting that as much as US$5 million, approximately J$300 million, could flow into the nation's coffers as a direct result of the staging of the six-day festival, which is slated to unfold in Montego Bay between Sunday, July 20, and Saturday, July 26.
In an interview with The Gleaner on Monday, businessman Robert Russell, a director of Summerfest Productions Limited the promoters of the festival, told The Gleaner that based on the Jamaica Tourist Board's (JTB) annual estimate that some 4,000 visitors come to island annually for Reggae Sumfest, he is predicting that the country will earn approximately US$5 million from visiting Sumfest patrons.
RESEARCH
"Based on our research, we have found out that each person who comes to Reggae Sumfest for the week spends approximately US$1000 on food, accommodation and transportation, which amounts to close to US$5 million," said Russell, whose company is spending about J$48 million to stage this year's event. "When you convert US$5 million to Jamaica money it's roughly J$300 million, which is quite a tidy sum."
On account of the positive economic impact Reggae Sumfest is poised to have on the tourist industry, businessman Godfrey Dyer, the President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), said his organisation is quite upbeat at the reports coming in that all the major hotels in Montego Bay are booked solid for the festival.
"Since the beginning of July, most hotels have being enjoying occupancy in the high 80s in terms of percentages," said an upbeat Mr. Dyer, who is a veteran hotelier. "The news that all the hotels are now booked solid for Reggae Sumfest is extremely good news and we are quite pleased about it."
In addition to benefits that will flow into the government coffers, a confident Mr. Russell is also predicting that the festival will also bring great economic benefit to the small business sector in Montego Bay, especially the transport, craft vendors and small hotel sectors.
EXCITED
But Joan James, the President of the Fort Street Craft Market Vendors Association, seems not to be terribly excited about the festival. According to her, since vendors have been denied the use of the old hospital ground (next door to Wexford Court), some years ago, they have not been getting a lot of business from visitors to Sumfest.
However, the mood among street vendors, taxi operators and the work crew preparing the Catherine Hall site is one of great optimism. According to them, they see the festival as quite important to their quest to earn enough money to send their children back to school in September.
"This is where I earn the money to send my children back to school every year since 1993," said Christine Smith, one of the scores of persons now working at the Catherine Hall site. "It is just a pity that it is only once a year that we have Sumfest, because this is sure money."
