by Howard Campbell
SOUTH FLORIDA – For decades, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) has used reggae to lure visitors to the island. Sun, sea and music have been a winning combination for that organization.
This month, the JTB’s Northeast region’s sales team produced the first in a series of eight-minute features on the evolution of reggae. The government agency believes they will be just as effective as their famous music ads.
Feel The Vibe — Jamaican Music: Ska and Feel The Vibe — Jamaican Music: Mento were initially posted on the JTB’S social media platforms before being sent to travel agents in North America.
According to Philip Rose, JTB regional director, potential visitors will learn that there is more to Jamaica’s music than Bob Marley and Rasta.
“Every destination in the Caribbean has nice beaches, every destination in the Caribbean has nice resorts but there is no other destination that can say they own mento, ska, rocksteady, reggae and dancehall,” he said.
Most of the JTB’S attention is placed on the Northeast region which Rose describes as “our largest and most important market.”
He shared that the organization works with 8,000 travel agents in the tri-state area, New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Visitors from states like New York, Massachusetts and Maryland account for 800,000 visitors to Jamaica annually.
“Obviously, under the current COVID-19 pandemic we are not able to make our traditional sales calls and meet these 8,000 agents, but instead of seeing it as a negative we zoned in on the positive,” Rose explained. “We thought the time was right to put together a weekly series that would not only showcase the different genres (of music) Jamaica has given the world, but celebrate them.”
The visuals focus on some of the people who contributed to the development of each genre. In the case of mento, there is The Jolly Boys who formed during the 1950’s and achieved International fame in the early 2000’s.
The Ska slot highlights the achievements of producer Clement Dodd, singer/producer Prince Buster and singer Derrick Morgan.
Rose disclosed that the other “Feel The Vibes” productions will air in early August when Jamaica celebrates Emancipation and Independence.
