Beyond the Sun, Sea and Sand...Sport

It’s going to be great in 2008…isn’t that what we all said this year? Well let’s get to work.

We have flogged the sun, sea and sand pitch of selling Jamaica and sooner than later the competition will stop us right in our track, pun intended. How then will we sell Jamaica as a sport tourist destination?

It is well known across the world that we produce some of the best athletes the world has ever seen. So it must be something in the water we drink or the food we eat or just the fresh air we breathe. Let us package that and sell it.

How many people we could convince to walk the hills of Cold Spring, Hanover, to see where Merlene Ottey grew up? How many young English cricketers can we invite to Boys Town, Kingston to see where the great Collie Smith played?

What should we do to convince some young bright male athlete that if they visit Pleasant Valley, Clarendon where the late great Herb McKenley grew up, they could be motivated to perform excellently. They could probably even visit the Calabar facility on Red Hills Road, where the man spent a lot of time coaching and motivating young men to excel.

I am suggesting we add that dimension to our tourism product. Our sporting legacy can be worth much more if we coordinate our efforts. It could also be a source of information for Jamaican children here in schools. I bet there are a lot of us who could do with a little refresher.

As we prepare for the Summer Olympics this year, what better time than the present?

Puerto Rico is changing their strategy to attract visitors under a programme called Puerto Rico, explore beyond the shore. It is a publicity campaign which is showing the adventurous side of the country.

It is reported that the 2007 golf open in the UK, brought in 14 million pounds into the economy. Not only does golf attract high rollers; but the value of the media exposure is worth millions and the images of the country are broadcast far and wide.

So let us look at the adventure tours, the heritage facilities and any other relevant sporting activity we can design to attract visitors to our island.
I will ask Robert Lalah to help me find some places worthy of note for sport tourists. I see this as an idea for young entrepreneurs to talk to the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) and put the ideas into action.

I am also recommending that a Tourism Action Club in one of our many schools take on as a project, The Sport Tourism Spots in Jamaica. Consider places where one can swim, cycle, climb, crawl, slide or even jump, outside of a typical resort area, already set up.

I challenge that club in any school in Jamaica.

CHAMPS: Congratulations to the winners of the Boys and Girls Championships. Penn Relays should be a sizzling affair.

Sport facility strategy - one is needed NOW

The selection of any city or country to host a major sporting event is a long and sometimes complicated process. Jamaica has been a beneficiary of hosting major events for over 40 years, dating back to the Commonwealth Games of 1966.

There have been tremendous benefits to the country. However, the argument now is how we can ensure the sustained use of these facilities for economic earnings and the attraction of more sport tourists.

Some national sporting groups have found it difficult to use some of the premier facilities due to high costs, but a plan has to be put in place to ensure that the facilities' costs are covered, plus the earning of a profit.

I have, in recent times, called for an updated list of facilities in the island with its capacity analysis, that is, the number of amenities, fields and stadiums, and its infrastructure, that is, road (transportation) and works.

In a Major Event Attraction Programme study, conducted by Jamaica Trade and Invest (JTI/JAMPRO), the facilities are placed in categories by class with capacities of over 5,000, 2,500 and 1,000 spectators. The study also shows the event potential; whether or not the venue is internationally sanctioned for major conventions, concerts or conferences.

The study highlights 24 facilities to be in classes one to four; being able to host from a high of over 28,000 to a low of 1,000 spectators.

Let us take Sabina Park, for example. It is the first cricket ground to record a triple century - England vs. West Indies in 1930; or the 365 not out by Gary Sobers, plus the remarkable knocks by the indomitable Lawrence Rowe in 1972 (214 and 100 not out on his debut against New Zealand). The rest of the world needs to know that and people should rush to Sabina Park and pay to relive those memories.

Sabina Park was also a venue for track and field championships and can still hold a 400 metres track. The picturesque park recently underwent a major renovation in time for Cricket World Cup 2007. What's next?

The strategy

I know we are afraid of task forces, but I am recommending one to look at the study of the Major Event Attraction Programme and see how Jamaica can benefit from this programme. I know the team will have its experts from the events management portfolio (Jamaica Tourist Board, JTI, Institute of Sport, Independence Park Limited, Sport Development Foundation, Jamaica Olympic Association, etc), but I am suggesting additional personnel from the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and the Tourism Product Development Company to be added to look seriously at marketing the facilities for sustained use.

Seating at Venues for major events

As the World Cup football qualifiers approach, along with international friendly games and major track and field championships, can we have a seating layout of the grandstand at all major ticket venues? This will assist patrons in knowing where they will be seated and how many seats are available in the specific section of choice.

I would hate to have to 'tussle' with anyone who is not sitting in the assigned seat. Let's fix that.

Tennis - a catalyst for sport tourism

If you have not been to the Eric Bell Centre for Tennis in Kingston recently, then you should. I guarantee you will have a new view of tennis and its ability to attract more of us to the sport and possibly more tourists to use available facilities in Jamaica.

The centre is just off Marescaux Road, in Cross Roads, by the L.P. Azar building.

Tennis Jamaica has had a re-branding exercise. They were formerly known as the Jamaica Lawn Tennis Association. Christine and Phillip Gore and their administrative team now run the new establishment.

Major renovation took place in June 2006 and they have since hosted the Davis Cup in April 2007, which, according to the International Tennis Federation (ITF), "was a well run tournament". So, with the ITF certification, they have the green light to host more international tournaments, with minor changes.

With the growth of tennis as a sport globally and more tourists travelling for sport purposes, tennis in Jamaica has a wonderful window of opportunity to add to the list of sporting attractions stock in Jamaica and to the capital city, Kingston.

There are further plans for a tennis academy. There is a hunt on for financial partnership to make this venture a success.

While tennis is a minor sport by Jamaica's definition, it has the potential to create impact that can and would be a vital contri-butor to the development of the sport tourism product. The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) should jump on board to 'get in the game' and promote tennis and its facilities as just one more thing this 'paradise' has to offer.

The Carib and Sport Tourism

The Caribbean has been officially declared the 'cultural centre' of the world; with that in mind, the tourism experts in the region should create policy which aim's at using our cultural products - sport, music, art and entertainment - to drive activity for stay-over visitors. Studies by the University of the West Indies and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation have indicated that visitor arrivals go up when there is a bundle of activities for special times of the year.

We have, as a region, been able to promote and market the respective music festivals. I know there is a greater role for sport to play. Certainly, at the next tourism heads of state/practitioners meeting, the potential of sport tourism should be discussed as an agenda item in a more serious way. I know it has been discussed, but I want more in-depth plans to be put in place with implementation to take place. This will, therefore, call for collaboration among the CARICOM member states; and for countries to put forward their own brand.

St. Kitts author, Peter Adrien, made a presentation to a Caribbean Media Summit in 2006. In a report he stated that "Sport Tourism" calls for a paradigm shift in our conception and deve-lopment of sport in the Caribbean. And this new vision must become part and parcel of our personal, national and regional development vision.

Policy-makers must clearly define the role of recreational and commercial sports in the development strategy. The first is an imperative and forms an integral part of the programme for building a harmonious and productive society, and lays the foundation for the successful growth of the political and economic systems, while the second is selective and targeted towards foreign-exchange earning.

...Year in Review 2007

Look out for the Cee Bee year in review 2007

CWC 2007
Book Launch
Jazz
Brand Jamaica
Love
Locks
...and More

Talk soon

New Chapter...in 2008

As we approach 2008 (a leap year)...let us look closely at renewing our lives in a way that will impact on people in a positive way.

2008 is expected to be a great year for sport as it is the hosting of the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China from August 8 - 28.

Qualifiers for World Cup 2010 (football) will begin...and lots more.

Let us support sport in a more serious way in the upcoming year and show our athletes that we care.

More time

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year

Sport Stars and facilities to drive Sport Tourism in Jamaica

By Carole Beckford

Between August 8 and 24, 2008, lots of attention will be focused on Beijing, China for the Summer Olympic Games. Jamaica’s representation will come from a number of sporting areas, but track and field will remain the most watched.

How will Jamaica use its preparation in the upcoming year to capitalise on sport tourists to come to Jamaica? Sport tourists are becoming some of the most high-spending tourists around the world and major or well planned events are just what they want to attend.

Apart from the Summer Olympic Games, there is the World Track and Field Championship in 2009 and then the World Cup Football in 2010.

Are there any major sporting events on the calendar for 2008 to be held at the Independence Park Limited Complex; Sabina Park, Trelawny Multi Purpose Complex?
I know of Gibson Relays on February 23; Boys and Girls Championships – March 12 – 15; International Track & Field – May 3 and host of international football friendlies.

Jamaica should use its great sporting stars and institutions to lure visitors to the island, so the country can capitalise on the ever-growing sport tourism market. There must be collaboration with the agencies and personnel with the expertise to attract the visitors to watch, play and experience sport in Jamaica.

How the stars can help?

The world’s fastest man, Asafa Powell and some of his colleagues will be in Australia undergoing preparation for upcoming events. He along with other athletes should be asked to promote Jamaica as a sport tourist destination. Two hours a week should be enough for starters.

They should be given a sport map, outlining where the major facilities are, where the accommodation spaces are and important dates on the calendar, so they are armed with enough information to distribute. Some other information could include capacity of the facilities. Any other teams traveling could be brought in under this programme.

The Ministry of Tourism along with the Ministry of Sport should merge efforts to launch this programme; a good push for sport for the New Year.

Advertising at other major events

Just up north, our neighbours in the U.S.A. will as always as usual host a variety of events. The NBA All-star game will be in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 17 that should be a glorious opportunity which would require creative marketing. Then there is the US Open Tennis in New York in August another great chance.

Planning will be key to these endeavours and we ought to be very vigilant but smart in how we approach these efforts to improve our figures for tourist arrivals in Jamaica.

Sport Management Course

A ten week comprehensive course will be launched in February 2008 to look at Sport Management. The course will look at the functional areas of sport management; while identifying cultural and historical features of sport. The course will help to prepare persons who have been and are interested in planning major sporting events, in line with Jamaica’s hope to stamp a mark in this aspect of sport.

Watch this space for more information.

Note: My condolence to Herb McKenley’s family and friends. Herb lived a great life, he contributed a lot to the development of track & field and sport in Jamaica. We will miss him, but his legacy will live on.

Happy Holidays! ©