Travel

Kingston City Run Puts Jamaica’s Capital in the Spotlight

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has lauded Kingston City Run Marathon as a unique event which highlights Kingston, Jamaica as an ideal tourist destination to thousands each year.

While at the launch of the Kingston City Run at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, the Minister shared that “the event is a part of the constellation of marathons across Jamaica which significantly drives arrivals. These marathons are becoming central parts of Jamaica’s tourism product and are therefore now calendar items that can be marketed along with the destination and its other offerings.”

He further noted that the marathon is expected to add value to Jamaica’s tourism product because it has the potential to create new business models.

“Marathons like Kingston City Run bring people who are great subscribers of Airbnb, for example. It is broadening the base of tourism involvement and ‘stakeholdership’ in Kingston because the people who come to Kingston City Run are going to be housed from Trench Town to Norbrook and many of our hotels,” he said

The Kingston City Run is slated to take place on Sunday March 12, 2017 under the theme “Calling all Heroes”. Participants, who are encouraged to wear super-hero inspired attire, will have the unique opportunity to walk or run through some of Kingston’s most iconic attractions.

“I am so happy that there is added focus in Kingston as it has so much to offer. So we are going to make more people come to Kingston. In fact, the sixth network my Ministry will be focusing on is City Tourism with Kingston as its epicentre.  Kingston has its own allurement, excitement and tremendously rich culture and entertainment. We are going to leverage that,” shared the Minister.

Nicola Madden-Greig, co-chair and co-founder of Kingston City Run Organizing Committee shared that the aim for this year’s event is to raise approximately J$5 million for charity.

“This year we will be doing more to support our homeless and vulnerable communities through five main charities: Open Arms Drop in Centre, Marie Atkins Night Shelter, Food for the Poor, Missionaries for the Poor and Alpha Institute. Over the past four years we have been able to raise over J$ 9 million and this has gone a far way in improving the lives of many,” said Madden-Greig.

Kingston City Run 2017 Launch
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (third left) receives the Kingston City Run Super Hero pin from Nicola Madden-Greig, co-chair and co-founder of Kingston City Run Organizing Committee (second left) at the official launch of Kingston City Run at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on January 12, 2017. Sharing in the moment are (from left) Co-Chair of Kingston City Run Organizing Committee, Chris Jarrett; Senior Director Commercial Development and Planning at the Norman Manley International Airport, Alfred McDonald; Representative from the Open Arms Drop-In Centre, Yvonne Grant; Vice-President of Student Affairs at the University of Technology, Granville Knight; and His Worship the Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Delroy Williams.

The organizers have also incorporated new elements in this year’s event.  One such feature is “Give Things a Running Chance”, which hopes to target 1000 inner-city children who cannot afford to participate. They will also be offering a special discount rate to university students of $650.

Registrations can be done online at: Kingston City Run, or via email

South Florida Caribbean News

The SFLCN.com Team provides news and information for the Caribbean-American community in South Florida and beyond.

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