Susan Smith, Staff ReporterTHE AIR Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival held last weekend in Montego Bay is considered a resounding success by its organisers. In spite of the natural and technical setbacks experienced during the festival, it attracted more than the 250,000 patrons which attended last year.
"We haven't seen all the figures as yet but based on the attendance, it appears to have worked out according to our expectations," says the co-executive producer, Mr. Robert Russell, speaking of the revenue.
Prior to the Festival, Mr. Russell told The Financial Gleaner that he expected to gain more than J$70 million in revenue from the event and also make an additional profit. The J$70 million he explained, would cover the expenses of staging the event.
Still in the process of sorting out proceeds and payment packages, Mr. Russell believes the rain could have interfered with a small fraction of the profits to be made from ticket sales. The tickets were priced at US$45 per person for Thursday night, US$50 each, for Friday and Saturday and US$135 for all three nights.
"We had a little set back with the rain on Thursday and Friday and it sort of dampened the turn out a little," he said. "Some people did not bother to go on those nights."
However, where hotel occupancy was concerned, he believed business was at its optimal for the city of Montego Bay. "All the hotels were filled and we got quite a good per cent of overseas visitors who came specifically for the festival," he said.
Part of the overall success of the event was ascribed to strategic planning by the organisers, shared the co-executive producer. "You have to get into the market early and book the artistes before they sign up for tours and that's part of our success, he stressed.
NEXT YEAR'S PLANS
"We have started to plan for next year's event already which literally takes a whole year to do," added Mr. Russell.
Responding to The Financial Gleaner, on whether or not the event should have been referred to as a 'Jazz festival', Mr. Russell said: "We don't need to be bound by words,"
"We added the 'art of music' to the tag line and this has widened the scope to include rhythm and blues and everything else," he clarified, emphasising that the crowd's response to all the artistes was excellent.
"Although people have come to understand it's a combination of different types of music, I'm wary when you tag a festival ... It narrows the focus on music," he said.
With that in mind, Mr. Russell says changing the name of the festival is something the organisers will consider, "We may keep the 'Jazz' or call it the 'Art of Music' or something,' he said.
