Montego Bay operated at max capacity for the week of Reggae Sumfest according to several hotel managers and receptionist contacted by WMV. The cost for a room at the S. Hotel on Montego Bay’s hip strip was between US$500 and US$2000. A Standard Mini King (non-ocean view Room) was selling for US$1523.48 per night on Thursday July 20. The Deluxe Sky Suite went for $2,155.98.
The price for the ‘Mini King’ room has since dropped to $454 per night according to Expedia.
The S. Hotel is not alone in capitalizing on Sumfest demand as anyone who wanted to stay in a four star hotel within 100 kilometers of Catherine Hall would find it difficult to get a room below US$600.
Even at the upper ends with five star resorts like Sandals Montego Bay and Sandal Royal Caribbean were out of rooms for the weekend, including the 27 over water Bungalows that retail for US$3000 per night with a three night minimum.
When WMV contacted Jamaica’s Tourism officials, they said there’s currently no word at this time on the financial impact the festival had on the Montego Bay hotels or the amount of tourism dollars generated within the wider community during the week of Reggae Sufmest July 16-21.
Buju Banton recently lamented that Jamaica is in need of proper in-door facilities for concert venues, while stating that the entertainment industry has been sidelined by successive government administrations.
“We are no longer a nation of 2 million people, we are teetering on 3.2 million or 3.4, what is the probability of 100,000 people wanting to hear a reggae concert or see a famous artist from America? its very high. What if the rain fall? We are not playing attention to our culture, its all about tourism so why don’t we have a facility? We are in this position where we have to play outside. The acoustic not we all and we are back up on the highway for miles. it’s something that the powers that be need to look at.”
Buju’s Intimate concert held on New Years Day at the Grizzly’s Plantation Cove St. Ann saw traffic jam all the way back to the highway for miles in both directions. One patron who took on the traffic to attend the holiday event was Billboard Power 100 Woman and HarborView Private Equity CEO Sherrese Clarke Soares, who told WMV that she enjoyed the show but the time it took her to get there although she stayed only 15 minutes away was long.
Buju’s comments come on the heels of WMV reports that the Chris Brown Jamaica concert scheduled for August 27, will cost patrons up to $1,550,000 for the Sky Vew Suites at the national stadium, the same venue that Banton held his “Long Walk To Freedom” concert in 2019.
Organizers of the Burna Boy Love, Damini concert had to apologize to patrons after the event was effected by technical difficulties. The stadium, built at the dawn of Jamaica’s independence more than 60 years ago has a seating capacity of 27,000 and is expected to host 48,000 patrons over two days at the BZR Weekend events August 25-27.
In 2023, Rebel Salute, organized by reggae icon Tony Rebel celebrated 29 years of staging the international festival at the same outdoor venue as Buju’s intimate in St. Ann, Jamaica.
Among the stars to have performed at Rebel Salute over the years include Garnet Silk who died the year after the first show. Damian Marley, Buju Banton, Sizzla, Captleton, were past headliners. Artist like Chronixx and Koffee got their first major breaks at the festival.
This year Beenie Man and Bounty Killer along with 60 other performed over two nights between Friday, January 19 and the early Sunday morning of January 21. Rising sensation Jahshii made his Rebel Salute performance debut on the Friday night.
Other performers include Queen Ifrica, I-Octane, I-Wayne, George Nooks, Grammy winner Kabaka Pyramid, Ghanian reggae singer Stone Boy.
Tony Rebel told World Music Views that the conservative figures to stage the concert run him over US$500,000 each year. He adds that 49% percent of his patrons come from overseas and “for one night they don’t eat meat, the eat the indigenous products of Jamaica.”
To help him bankroll the concert he is heavily dependent on local sponsors but because Nazarite’s do not consume alcohol, he has eliminated beer companies who are the ones who would have the bigger budgets for entertainment sponsorship.
“The Sponsors they help to cut certain budgets for us, but because of how we are situated in Jamaica, the alcoholic companies are the ones who spend the money, and we are into a healthier lifestyle and the healthier lifestyle has less money so its difficult to get through Rebel Salute but we do it every year,” said the Manchester native.
“We generate over a billion dollars, with the hotel industry over the two night period, the sight seeing, the attractions, the AirBnBs, restaurants, transportation companies, is over a billion dollars.”
As the effects of the pandemic cease and live events make a comeback multi-national companies like Live Nation is seeing record numbers with projecting event-related revenue of $2.3 billion.
Tony Rebel says he is aware of the wider market and his eyes are set on expanding the lifestyle brand overseas.
“We have thought about keeping more than one festival per year and we want to take it abroad, and do a tour with that. But we want partners who know the terrain.
