AN ESTIMATED US$500 million is expected to be injected into the entire region as the Caribbean prepares to host the event.
However, the revenues can only be maximised if the business community educates itself on how to exploit this opportunity.
With that in mind the Mona School of Business, JAMPRO and the Jamaica Chamber of Com-merce are hosting a symposium on October 7 at the Jamaica Conference Centre to discuss how best to maximise financial gains.
Guest speaker of the symposium will be Dr. Ali Bacher, who led the planning committee of the 2003 Cricket World Cup held in South Africa. Other speakers include Professor Kenneth Hall, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of the UWI, Mona campus; Professor Neville Ying, acting executive director and Professor of Business Development at the Mona School of Business; Dr. Wayne Reid, chairman of Jamaica Cricket 2007 Limited; Dr. Vin Lawrence, chairman of Kingston City Centre Improvement Company, and Chris Dehring, managing director of ICC Cricket World Cup West Indies 2007 Limited.
At the symposium business opportunities such as accommodation, music and culture, transportation, tours and attractions, event support services, media, financial services and manufacture retail.
James Samuels, chairman of the planning committee of the symposium, said he saw a great opportunity for economic benefit and sought the help of other businessmen to bring the symposium to fruition.
"This symposium is the first such forum planned to provide a platform for discussion among entrepreneurs who see this once-in-a-lifetime event as a way of making financial gains. We at the Mona School of Business saw an opportunity to lead the discussion and, to this end, approached Pat Francis, president at JAMPRO, and Trevor Fearon of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce."
Samuels added that the objectives of the symposium are:
To open the channels of communication with countries which have successfully hosted major sporting events.
To identify the business opportunities that will arise from improved infrastructure and the supply of support services to accommodate the thousands of visitors to the island during the Cricket World Cup.
To ensure that the successful staging of this international event will be an important legacy for our nation.
At the end of the symposium a plan of action will be presented.
Fearon, who is the executive director of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce noted that individual gains cannot be had unless everyone works together.
"I think everyone understands that individually we wont achieve the ends but together we all will benefit," Fearon said.
The symposium begins at 8:00 a.m. and registration fee is $3,500.
