By Adrian Frater, News Editor 
Dyer
WESTERN BUREAU;
IN A bid to ensure maximum spin-off benefits from the hosting of major events such as the just concluded Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) Caribbean Marketplace 2005, president of Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Godfrey Dyer is calling on the authorities to clean-up and beautify Montego Bay.
"If we clean-up and beautify Montego Bay, I think we will see at least a 5 per cent growth in our tourism as early as within the next 12 months," said Mr. Dyer, chairman of the marketplace host committee. "Once Montego Bay is clean and beautiful, I don't think anything can stop us."
According to the CHA's projections, Montego Bay is expected to derive significant long and short-term benefit from the hosting of the premier trade show, which attracted over 1,500 delegates - buyers and suppliers - from the Caribbean, North American and Europe.
BENEFIT
In looking at the immediate benefit, Mr. Dyer said he expected approximately US$1 million (J$62m) to flow into the city's economy in the five-day period that spanned the arrival and departure of the delegates - buyers and suppliers, who filled up the city's hotel rooms and utilised the various supporting services.
"We expected significant earnings in areas such as the hotel sector, restaurants, In-bond trade and the transport sector," said Mr. Dyer, who told Western Focus that he was overjoyed with the international response to Marketplace 2005. "The overall benefit should be as good as it can get."
As a consequence of the exposure gained from the hosting of Marketplace, which was covered by over 50 overseas journalists, Mr. Dyer is expecting long-term benefit for the tourist trade starting with the upcoming summer and winter tourist seasons. "The exposure we got through the delegates and the media going to the various hotels and attractions was just out of this world. It is something we could not pay for," noted Mr. Dyer. "We are expecting to feel the impact of this exposure in our summer, winter and future bookings."
