Reggae Sumfest is returning to Jamaica’s calendar of events this summer with hopes that the island’s signature summer music festival will aid in the island’s recovery by providing another incentive for travellers to choose to visit.

Taking place at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay from July 18 to 23, the festival will be supported by the Ministry of Tourism through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), with the expectation of it boosting visitor arrivals during its staging. The event was last held in 2019.

“We’re very happy to be associated with it again this year; the recovery is critical and in recovering we want to do it better and bigger,” said Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, who noted that enquiries were being received from as far as the Middle East.

He said bookings for the months of June and July were very good and this was supported by Montego Bay Chapter Chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Nadine Spence, who said feedback from hotels for the Sumfest period indicated that “bookings are steady and surpass the same period last year.”

Bartlett used event launch to reinforce the government’s commitment to the entertainment industry, pointing out that plans are being pursued for the development of a Tourism Entertainment Academy adjacent to the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

He stressed that $50 million has already been earmarked by the TEF to get it started and on completion the facility will be marketed as an attraction for visitors to experience Jamaica’s authentic high quality cultural offerings. Programs developed for the Academy are expected to increase employment opportunities for professionally trained and skilled artists.

More than three dozen performers are lined up for the main festival nights (July 22-23). For more details and tickets, visit www.reggaesumfest.com.