Claudine Housen, Staff Reporter

Executive director for the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, Walter Elmore (centre), discusses placement logistics with Wisynco Group Marketing Director, Zachary Hardings, and Manager of Sponsorship Events, Nadine Whyte, during a site visit to the venue at the aqueduct at Rose Hall, St. James on Wednesday. More than 50 sponsors and vendors turned out to choose their spots at the venue. - Photo by Claudine Housen/Staff Photographer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Persons wishing to get their Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues tickets before the January rush, will be able to put their hands on one as early mid - December, event organisers say.

"I am going to put them on sale from about the middle of Decem- ber and the prices are going to be on Thursday US$60 (J$3,900), US$65 ($J4,225) for Friday and

US$70 (J$4,550) for Saturday," said Walter Elmore, executive director for the event. For a three day pass it is US$180 (J$11,700).

GCT included

Noting that the tickets are basically the same price as last year, Mr. Elmore, however, cautioned the public that there might be a marginal increase when they go to purchase them as they will now accrue general consumption tax (GCT) of 16.5 per cent.

"We now have to include GCT," he explained. "We have been instructed by the Government to do so."

Speaking at a recent site visit in Montego Bay earlier this week, Mr. Elmore said that he was pleased with the support that the festival has received from both corporate sponsors and the media.

"Today, we invited down the media and all the sponsors who are going to be having tents and booths here at the venue and it is just amazing that so many people showed up," he said.

"It is the same thing that happened at the press launch. It was well attended and it shows me that the people in Jamaica, the corporate sponsors and the media have really embraced this event and it is very exciting."

Further commenting on the proposed expansion of the event, Mr. Elmore said that he was anticipating a good response from all the stakeholders.

"We are very excited about having the festival a full five days now with those two extra-nights, he said. The main reason was the hotels themselves are empty or close to being empty Monday to Wednesday because they are all sold out for the weekend, so I decided to expand the festival to last five days so they can sell a full week's package for overseas persons to come to Jamaica and enjoy what we have to offer."

Unexpected artiste

Also noting that the event has booked international artistes Earth, Wind and Fire for the event, Mr. Elmore remained tight-lipped about possible new additions. In fact, when asked if it is true that they were courting Jamaican artiste Sean Paul, Mr. Elmore chose to be diplomatic.

"Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues, a lot of people come to the show just to be there," he said. "He (Sean Paul) has been there before. He just popped up and stage back when Alicia Keys was here, maybe he will be in town, who knows, as they say in Jamaica 'any card can play'."