Tourism Minister, Robert Tonge, has stated that increasing awareness has caused the Jazz n’ Creole Festival in Dominica to experience an influx of patrons since it was first staged in 2010.
Speaking at the launch of the 8th annual Jazz n’ Creole on Thursday April 6th 2017 at the Fort Young Hotel, Tonge said that the increased media coverage and performances of international artistes have bumped up the turn out from 600 persons in 2010 to 2,600 persons in 2016.
“Over the past seven years, the event has grown from just 600 patrons in 2010 to over 2,600 patrons in 2016. The festival had not only gained patrons, but there continues to be the increasing interest from renown regional and international artistes wanting to perform at this exclusive event and the media also interested in covering this event providing additional awareness to our beautiful country,” he said.
Tonge said that the festival continues to ensure that Jazz music keeps on evolving in the country to the benefit of not only the patrons but the musicians as well.
“It ensures that our local musicians are empowered to improve their music skills and to build a jazz industry on the island, which can be just as powerful as powerful as calypso, Bouyon, and Cadence in the years to come,” he stated.
In addition to this, the tourism sector benefits greatly and adds to the overall flow of revenue into the economy, according to Tonge.
“The festival stimulates economic activity among tourism stakeholders in the various quadrants of the island,” he stated.
The festival this year, as previous years, will begin with Jazz fringe events that lead up to the main stage, as it showcases the range of local Jazz artists performing alongside “powerful regionally and internationally recognized names,” Tonge said.
The main stage event will be held on June 4, at Cabrits in Portsmouth.
Yes, it’s awesome. And so many of those patrons come from overseas, especially. Jazz and Creole music really are such important reasons for visiting Dominica. And the event is deemed a success by the organisers year-on-year so clearly this is tourism money very well spent. Keep it up ! PS. Love the fashions.
The Cabrits is a terrible location for this festival. It’s great to announce the increased numbers, but what about accommodations for visitors? The last time I visited the Cabrits, the bathrooms were something else.
We need another location in the Portsmouth area to host this festival. Why not develop Benjamin”s Park or a new location in Picard or Point Round?
To be honest. I much prefer it to the WCMF. It has more class.
I hope this year they take into consideration the suggestions that they ask for EVERY YEAR and in previous years have ignored:
1. Parking
2. Better food and beverage
3. Better lighting
4. Visibility of performances by adding more screens.
This festival has become big! With the change in St Lucia’s jazz activities this year, we should see a noteworthy portion of visitors from other islands who would have otherwise gone to the normal SLU Jazz Fest. Hopefully the numbers exceed 3000 this time around. Keep up the good work.
Good to know that the festival has grown bigger and bigger but who are the “powerful regionally and internationally recognized names,” It’s a shame that a mere two months out there are no details on the performers. This may be just fine with locals but that does not bode well for attracting visitors. Visitors have to plan and budget their vacations properly but also have to know how much appeal does the artists represent. Wish we could do better in planning and effective PR, marketing and communications after all these years.
Tonge, we know that already. DDA has made known the numbers a few times. What’s new?
My thoughts exactly. It almost as if Robbie trying to be relevant