Outlook for Sport Tourism for 2010

Come 2010, lots of exciting major sporting events will take place around the world, focusing on World Cup Football, scheduled for South Africa. Jamaica’s Reggae Boys will not be participating, but Jamaica will be involved through its administrators of football, Captain Horace Burrell and Horace Reid.

What then can Jamaica do to maintain its position in the marketplace as a sport tourism destination? Lots of great prospects are available and so 2010 should be a year when Jamaica hosts at least two major sporting events to attract large quantities of sport tourists.

Coming off the heels of the performances of the track and field athletes in Berlin in August 2009, the essence of Jamaica is once again the talk of the world and there is so much to be done to keep the island’s name in the market place.

The Inter Secondary School Sports Association (ISSA) will celebrate 100 years of the hosting of the greatest high school championship anywhere in the world, so come March 24 to 27 Kingston will be buzzing with excitement. There are already queries being made about hotel rooms and places to go during that time.

The week of March 21 to 28 should therefore be a designated week of funs and activities in Kingston with

- top sport media
- top food network media
- media which focuses on teens
- media which focuses on social lifestyle

Boys and Girls Champs present all that and more and we have exactly three months to plan all these activities. This is another opportunity for the Jamaica Tourist Board and ISSA to partner and make Kingston the place to be March 21 – 28, 2010.

What this means therefore is the restaurants, theatres, night clubs should coordinate as much as possible to handle the audience we will have for Kingston during that time.

BOLT SUPERPARTY

World and Olympic record holder, Usain Bolt, played host to thousands of people at the Richmond Estate, St. Ann…Turnkey Production, Headline Entertainment and the UB Management team combined with sponsors to put on the first show of this kind. Highlighting the event was the combination of athletes and entertainers all of whom want to come back to Jamaica. Trinidad and Tobago’s Olympic medallist, Richard Thompson says “Jamaica has captured my heart, and I will definitely come back.” The USA star, Wallace Spearmon, fitted in all to well and he has promised to return soon.

On the entertainment side, Ludacris pay respect to Bolt and vows to do a charity event in Kingston at a time to be arranged and there are others on stand by to offer services. Jamaica is alive and well and we MUST make good use of these opportunities.

The Jamaica Tourist Board now has its hands full in determining a strategic approach to capture the imagination of its potential visitors by combining sport, music and the destination to add the diversity to the tourism product, the country so richly deserves.

REGGAE MARATHON

Plans are afoot for the 2010 renewal, 10th anniversary, after the very successful running on December 5. Kudos go out to Alfred Francis and his team.

Coming attraction: The strong man may be coming to Jamaica sooner than you think.

Sport Tourism through Schools

Jamaica’s Sport Tourism product could get a boost in 2010, when the world’s largest organisers of sport tours, Edwin Doran Sports Travel (EDST), take its first tour here. Members of the team recently visited Jamaica to look at the opportunities and there is optimism that the deal will be sealed soon.

One of the advantages of that kind of relationship is, Jamaica’s school sport system is a cultural phenomenon and at anytime a competitive team in any sport can be found to participate in a series of tournaments. That should boost the efforts of Physical Education teachers in the school system to better prepare their students in imparting the knowledge and information geared at competing at this level.

The tours are generally arranged around the Easter period and include cricket, football, netball, hockey, rugby and lacrosse. The tour has been to the Caribbean region, but has been in the Eastern Caribbean, but shows intention of heading into different areas of the region...with Jamaica in mind.

Apart from the school tours, there are additional opportunities for creation of High Performance Centres in the respective sporting disciplines which aim to provide intense training and preparation for top-level competition even beyond the school years.

Jamaica should welcome this opportunity and the Jamaica Tourist Board’s involvement so far suggests that Sport Tourism is being seriously considered as a way to add diversity to the current tourism product.

The head masters of schools along with representatives of EDST toured the island and looked at locations where the sports could be accommodated. They also met with representatives of the sporting organisations who could assist in the planning and coordination of these tours and tournaments. Netball, cricket, track and field were well represented, well certainly at the meeting in Kingston. It will be a welcome opportunity for school sports in Jamaica and in the end sport tourism.
Teams Conference in New Orleans
Jamaica had representation at the recently concluded Teams Conference in New Orleans where the top sports people gathered. They came from marketing companies, hotel chains, teams and at least 20 sporting franchises across the US. Marsha Lawrence, Brand Warriors, Technology Innovation Centre, was the sole Jamaican company represented at the event. Lawrence in an interview said she has “renewed respect for Sports Marketers and great enthusiasm for all the possibilities that exist for Jamaica.”
Lawrence also spoke with an ESPN senior executive who suggested that Jamaica could be a destination for a version of the renowned Strong Man competition. That would be something new and different.
A famous quote which emerged from the Teams Conference is by Publisher of Sports Travel Magazine, Timothy Schneider... “by concentrating our attention in the places where difficulty can be replaced by opportunity, the sport-event industry has the chance to help lead the recovery of the travel industry and play an even bigger role as an economic- development engine for communities large and small.”
News: Stop in Montego Bay for the Rose Hall Triathlon on Saturday, October 31. Head over to Negril for the Reggae Marathon on Saturday, December 5.

Boosting Opportunities for Sport Tourism

Networking is an important tool to be used in any profession to enhance the chances of greater linkages. That too is true of the sport industry. So while Jamaica has the athletes, venues and the officials to coordinate major sporting events; it is also important to attend major shows across the world to network for greater opportunities.
One such opportunity will be happening in New Orleans this week (October 13 to 17) where the world’s largest gathering of sport event organisers will be. The Teams 2009 Conference and Expo is an event which attracts 38 top sponsorship organisations – hotel chains, convention centres, and key suppliers to the sport industry.
The world has continued to marvel at the economic value of an organised sport industry and a conference of this nature presents a great opportunity for developing countries like Jamaica to be with the movers and shakers in this industry.
The format of the five day event will include a conference programme with leading experts who share the latest inside information. There is a massive trade show with more than 300 sports-event suppliers and destinations that provides new contacts and ideas. There are also personal appointment sessions that allows quality time with event organizers and industry leaders and finally the networking sessions and social functions that help build valuable relationships for today and tomorrow.
Brand Warriors, of the Technology Innovation Centre, University of Technology will be in attendance for Jamaica and will bring back valuable experience to the country which should be managed for effectiveness.
There are a number of conferences to come on stream in 2010 and Jamaica as Sport Tourism destination; also as a place where there are facilities for further training in Sport and Physical Education should capitalise on some of these opportunities as the country aims to earn from the billion dollar industry.
There is the 2010 Sports Industry Networking and Career Conference scheduled for March in Washington. In Vienna in July, there is a Sport Engineering Association Conference where the focus is on technology and innovation for sport and science. There are a number of opportunities and if Jamaica wants to be successful in other aspects of the industry, it has to reach out of the box, if even for networking opportunities initially.

Major Events
In the tourist capital, Montego Bay on October 31, the second running of the WATA Rose Hall Triathlon will be on, which will feature some of the world’s top triathletes. The event, only in its second year, has managed to attract Olympic quality athletes among a list of other keen competitors. An added attraction is the triathlon for children, scheduled for November 1 on the same course. For more go to http://www.rosehalltriathlon.com/
Later this year the Reggae Marathon is scheduled for Saturday, December 5 in Negril, then later that evening, a 9.58 SuperParty is on for the Richmond Estate, St. Ann to be hosted by Usain Bolt.
The plan for the restructuring of the Trelawny Sport Complex is welcome as the location is ideal for hosting major sporting and entertainment events.

Sport and the Media

Since sport is such an important aspect of the Jamaican psyche, the way media carries stories form a fundamental expression by the people of Jamaica internally (whether home/abroad); and is implicit on how we are viewed by the rest of the world.

The efforts of Jamaica’s sportsmen and women, have for a long time, been the pinnacle of the success stories, not without the usual expected controversies. What is key is the value the media has placed in always reporting on sporting events which are hosted in Jamaica or where there are Jamaicans participating.

In 1948, Jamaica earned one gold and two silver medals and was ranked 20th in the medal standings. The late Herb McKenley and Arthur Wint were the only two medallists. That news spread around the world like wild fire at the time. However, another news item emerged with the mishap in the 4 X 400 metres where Jamaica did not complete the event. Four years later, the news was, Jamaica earns two gold and three silver and ranked 13th in the medal standings. One of the gold medals was in a record time and in an event where Jamaica failed to finish in the London Games in 1948.

The record in the Olympics has been spectacular and in the media’s eyes, Jamaica has achieved a lot. This is what is reported.

However, the media is also the first to report the controversies, scandals and any other item of news they may deem important enough to catch the eyes of the public. What then is Jamaica’s role in shaping, determining or even guiding what media reports?

In achieving independence since 1962, lots of things changed for Jamaica. The economy grew, people became more literate, technology became available, media also grew, so it shaped the way people consumed information and Jamaicans at home and abroad has far more ways and means to bring the information to them.

The role then of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) and its affiliate federations must now put a number of programmes in place for its athletes and administrators to understand the implications of good and ‘bad’ press. Public Education programmes must be the order of the day complimented by workshops and seminars. Literature has to be made available to all concerned to ensure that there is a consistent delivery of standard information, making it plain that the measurement is not different based on where you are from, but the same no matter what.

Athletes have to be prepared to cope with press who will bombard them with questions they may not have thought about, but be made to understand that being in the public requires specific work in handling media.

Some of the media presence Jamaica gets across the world could not be paid for in any media campaign. So while we gain on one side, we should always aim to be proactive about maintaining a positive image. When negative stories emerge, then we should be keen on managing the damage which may be done.

Come August 15 to 23, all track and field fans, existing and new, will have their eyes focused on Jamaica. I ask that we be prepared.

Call for Ministry of Education to designate Active Schools

As a measure to support the call for a more strategic National Policy on Physical Education and Sport, I am calling on the Ministry of Education to designate Active Schools in the six regions as a way to monitor the role of Physical Education in schools.

For the next three to five years, starting September 2009, 12 schools should be monitored to ensure that the children who are to be exposed would be far more aware of the role of PE as a tool for physical, mental and social development.

Active Schools are defined as schools that provide students with sufficient opportunities to get active to the extent that it makes a positive contribution to their health.

The aim of Active Schools is to give children the tools, motivation and opportunities to be more active throughout school years into adulthood.

The suggestion therefore is to select two schools in each of the six regions at the Primary & Junior High and Secondary levels to be subject to the following:

- schools should have male and female PE teachers
- schools should have proper facilities to offer PE
- have out of school hours learning programme for adults in surrounding communities
- develop a wider network at the regional and national levels (health, education, transportation sectors)

Key outcomes will focus on:

- increased participation from boys and girls
- increased participation from the community
- increased participation from people with learning disabilities

The role of PE in schools has been understated and the recommendations above are just a way of ensuring that the subject is taken much more seriously than it is now.

World's fastest man has website - usainbolt.com

Usain Bolt has added a new and exciting dimension to his career, this time it is his website. Log on to www.usainbolt.com

The website features highlights of his historic performances at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China where Bolt returned with three world records in the 100 and 200 metres and the 4 X 100 metres relay team.

In a message from Bolt, he says “this is just another exciting way to communicate to my fans, all around the world. Track and field is a very exciting sport that I love dearly and I am proud to be able to share my experiences with you.”

The website also highlights other aspects of Bolt’s life in track and field, showcasing some of his exploits since his rise to international stardom in 2002 at the junior level; while focusing some attention of his professional life with a peek into his community activities and general lifestyle.

With just under a month to before the World Track and Field Championship in Berlin, Germany, Bolt is hoping to be able to keep in touch with his many supporters across the world.

You may also follow Usain Bolt on www.twitter.com/usainbolt

The website is expected to showcase a number of exciting interactive features including a fan club and shop. Stay tuned!

ST. GEORGE’S, KC BATTLE FOR ROPER CUP

Defending champions St. George’s College will meet Kingston College in the 45th staging of the Roper Cup, the longest-running football battle between two high schools on August 29. The Roper Cup football festival will see five matches played among age group footballers from both schools at the National Stadium East field.
The action is set to begin at 9 a.m., with the Under 14 teams of both schools meeting, followed by the 10:30 match involving the Under 16 teams.

The aggregate scores from both matches will determine the overall winner of the George Thompson Trophy, played in honour of the late former KC and Jamaica footballer and coach.

Colombian-born Thompson is KC’s most successful coach and was the first local coach to lead a Jamaica team to victory over Mexico in an Olympic qualifier at the National Stadium in 1972.
Jamaica won 1-0 courtesy of a goal by Leonard “Chicken” Mason.

The Under 35 teams of both schools will then meet at noon for the first leg of the Roper Cup decider, which will be split by the match-up for the Pancho Rankine Cup, to be decided by the players aged 35 and over at 2 o’clock.

The mouth-watering final match between last year’s Manning Cup and Olivier Shield winners St. George’s and the Manning Cup quarter-finalists KC in the showdown of present boys at 4 o’clock will close out the day’s activities.
St George’s won the Roper Cup 3-2 on aggregate in last year’s renewal, following a 2-1 win by the present boys and a 1-1 draw in the Under 35 match.