KINGSTON, Jamaica – President, Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Sancia Bennett Templer, says the agency will make every effort to take advantage of the various business and trade prospects that will arise from the Jamaica 50 celebrations.
Addressing a press briefing on July 4 at JAMPRO’s headquarters in New Kingston, she stated that the agency will use the opportunity to showcase Jamaica, not just as a great vacation destination, but also as an ideal place to do business.
“Quite often, when we go out across the world promoting Jamaica, we get the comment that ‘Yes, I know about Jamaica. I got married there or my friend recently had a holiday there’. But not many people know about the business and trade side of Jamaica,” she remarked.
“We, therefore, see (Jamaica 50) as a once in a lifetime opportunity to get that message across that the place you have always wanted to visit is also the place to do business,” she stated.
‘Jamaica House’, at the O2 Arena in London, which will be the centrepiece of the international celebrations for ‘Jamaica 50’ and the Jamaican athletes at the London Olympics, will provide a major selling point for Brand Jamaica.
“We are one of about 20 countries that will have a national house in London. We have very broad and very comprehensive arrangements at the O2 Arena in London that we will leverage to get the best outcomes for Jamaica,” Mrs. Bennett Templer.
She stated that business and trade opportunities will be an integral part of the displays and programme at the Jamaica House and Jamaica House Terrace locations at the O2 Arena.
“We will have a number of trade and investment days. We have already sent out invitations to the business community in London and from across the world, to be with us at Jamaica House on specific days,” she informed.
Mrs. Bennett Templer noted that August 5 will be designated ‘Business Diaspora Day’ in London and there will also be a ‘Jamaica Countdown’ party on that day, which will lead into celebrations for Jamaica Independence Day on August 6.
“We will also be able to show at Jamaica House and at Jamaica House Terrace, the various activities happening in Jamaica and across the world celebrating our Olympic triumphs and our Jamaica 50 celebrations live as they happen,” she said.
On August 8 and 10, JAMPRO will host ‘Business and Trade’ days; on August 11 there will be a ‘Creative Industries Day’; and a ‘Business of Sports Day’ on August 12.
“Those days will run from about 1:30 p.m. in the afternoon until 4:00 p.m. and then between 4:00 p.m. and midnight…we will be on hand to talk business,” she stated. “It is very important that we connect with our prospective Jamaican business persons and let them want to come to Jamaica,” Mrs. Bennett Templer said.
JAMPRO has also collaborated with the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) to host a Jamaica retail shop at the O2 where Jamaican products will be sold. Mrs. Bennett Templer informed that the store will carry a wide array of goods, including aromatherapy, fashion and craft items, spices and sauces.
“The O2 Arena will be the venue for the basketball and gymnastics competitions at the Olympics; so you will have approximately 40,000 persons going into that arena every day. At least 60 per cent of those persons will pass by the area where we will have that Jamaican shop,” Mrs. Templer said.
