Sumfest should spike business in MoBay

Business interests are expecting this year's Reggae Sumfest to bring a significant jolt to the Montego Bay economy.

It is being seen as a welcome ease to the current economic crunch and a catapult for more growth.

Each year, the world-renowned festival draws thousands of overseas visitors into the city and its environs, and with this influx, there comes a remarkable upswing in commerce and its related benefits.

Visitors have been known to travel from as far as Australia to attend the festival, spending on Jamaican products liberally as they seek to enjoy every aspect of the Jamaica brand.

From as far back as 2003, it was predicted that significant foreign exchange would flow into the island during the time of the festival.

"We expect Reggae Sumfest to be a major contributor to the economic landscape for this year," said Johnny Gourzong, executive director of Summerfest Productions, producers of Reggae Sumfest.

"This festival causes people to not just spend on it, but to spend in preparation for it, and in several other endeavours related to it, and this year should be no different."

Thrive on trade boom

This reality has been duly noted by the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce, which has over 200 members ranging from small family-run enterprises, to large-scale businesses such as hotels and resorts. They all thrive from the boom in the various forms of trade which are direct spin-offs from the festival, during a period that has traditionally been considered slow in that part of the island.

Data from the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce also indicate that villas, hotels and guest houses become fully booked, restaurants, cookshops, and cafés get unprecedented patronage, clothing stores, beauty salons and countless other businesses get the spike in activity before, during, and even after the festival.

In addition, the benefits are not confined to the Second City, but spread widely to the major towns across the island. The fashion industry is one example, as the clothing stores, the tailors, dressmakers and those that provide accessories get major orders to fill within the period.