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This looks to be a tourism disaster.

Jamaica's close proximity to the USA may have made them more attractive to USA travelers but the money spent on this World Cup vs the economic impact will not be given an honest assessment from the governments.

Powen spend some money and ENG USA attendance is poor.

The question is not if the ICC will want us to host again but if we will want to host again?

In reply to nick2020

Emir and imusic seh dem Guyanese bajans mek

In reply to nick2020

The US would have gladly hosted the whole thing. WI's status as long-timers made the imposition plausible. Tough to see WI hosting a major ICC tournament in the near to medium term future. For all the teething problems experienced by the US leg of this WC, the money earned there dwarfs what the Caribbean will end up making even with a Kensington final.

In reply to doosra

I think our biggest hurdle is geography.

The cost of travel from match to match and the inconvenience of flying from one location to the other (baggage, check in, customs and immigration). The tournament is long and all the associates water down the offering.

I don't know what the solution is that would be tenable for all West Indians. Have it all at one venue? Would probably need more than one stadium.

In reply to cumberland

Unfortunately for us the certainly check more boxes.

Once they fix the horrible pitches.

In reply to nick2020

The pitches aren't horrible.

For me as it's just a question of being able to manipulate pitch conditions as do the Indians and develop players to suit

In reply to nick2020

Once they fix the horrible pitches.

They've left the drop-ins at Nassau County. Hopefully, matches get played on them and they settle down in short order. Must say these kinds of pitches will be the norm as more custom-built stadia get erected around the country. The cricket will adapt. As a realist I'm not surprised or perturbed if big-time cricket makes it to the US at WI's expense.

The cost of travel from match to match and the inconvenience of flying from one location to the other (baggage, check in, customs and immigration).

THIS! Too many online comments about the Caribbean leg of the WC have been about this, players/teams and fans alike have complained.

In reply to nick2020

What with travelling between the US and Barbados?

An Indian acquaintance who has tickets to the Barbados leg of 'the round of eight games' called me last week asking whether there are connecting flights between Jamaica and Barbados. While tickets to Jamaica from the US were easily available, there was zero availability directly to Barbados.

Are we still showing symptoms from the loss of LIAT?

In reply to cumberland

Selection on who to host a WC is not dependent cheapness of logistics I hope not.

In reply to nick2020

Jamaica gambled that since the country was already getting close to 4 million visitors each year, the World Cup might not necessarily an economic advantage, considering the large financial requirement as a host country.
In fact, I was in Jamaica just this week and there were such a large number of flights heading to the Sangsters International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica that the immigration lines are often overwhelmed and my all-inclusive resort hotel really need to hire extra staff, just to deal with the sheer volume of guests at reception.

In reply to Drapsey

Inter-region travel sucks. I keep hearing about addressing it but clearly it is not financially attractive.

In reply to nick2020

Whilst crowd attendance provides ambience, optics and great atmosphere, de people dem gwine mek their money from the 769 mil Indians watching and approx 3.3 bil south Asians gambling

So let not your heart be bothered

In reply to Slipfeeler

My understanding is Jamaica tourism does very well outside of UK; they get a lot of USA tourists.

In general the stands have been seeing more locals than tourists at every venue and that is good for local cricket fans. There was a worry that locals would not be able to get tickets to the Oval and the former minister of tourism proclaimed the PM said he would be allocated 1000 tickets for locals.

Now that looks like Enron stock.

In reply to InHindsight

True, not the ONLY consideration BUT you do have to reckon with ground attendance for your cricket as an international sporting body (ICC) as opposed to franchise cricket (even they keep an eye on that as they crunch the numbers). When the cost to attend games gets beyond a certain $ value and the large component is TRAVEL you need to start finding venues that allow for mass transit across venues. Flying intra-island IS expensive. Just trawl the online comments surrounding the WC and listen to people's stories.

In reply to sudden

Glad to see you my friend.

Would you be privy to the revenue sharing %s? Because my heart is troubled that de people is not we people.

In reply to nick2020

Hold on, have to give Powen a call about the revenue sharing bit

But full disclosure-he just bought a new Lexus

Sorry let me revise that- he is now sharing revenue with a new Lexus

In reply to sudden

I know we will be reminded of the big picture - exposure for future revenue. This is an investment in the future.

Hold Strain will be the chant.

In reply to nick2020
Americans and Europeans come to di Caribbean in winter to escape di cold.
They een coming here in hurricane season.
This WC should have been held between January and May.
Notice that even our first class season is a mess because money rules and men defer to lickit.

In reply to Chrissy

Good point but given we co-hosted those times would have been a non-starter in the USA.

Edit

And we got lucky thus far with the weather. I looked back at a prior T20 WC and there were I think 6 NR matches.

In reply to Drapsey

Not LIAT but the notoriously delayed Ole BWIA.
Carribean Airlines model was supposed to encompass everything that both Air Jamaica and BWIA covered but alas!

In reply to cumberland

Something we all Caribbean people know all to well.

Maybe the ICC can more appreciate the dynamics of West Indies cricket and be more will to make a difference.

That said, regional governments won't stop at attracting the only world event we're capable of hosting for its touristic benefits well past the WC. There's also the legacy of the event as far as cricketing infrastructure is concerned. How much does ICC contribute to that BTW?

In reply to nick2020

My contention is the ICC must subsidize any hosting on their behalf in the Caribbean.
The region is a cricket loving one but it is also a poor one in economic terms despite the oil,natural gas
in Trinidad and Tobago and oil in Guyana.
Factor in the small population and the cost of living standards and challenges of the several populations
in every territory and it is grim reality of progress as 2nd World standards are not even on the cards
as there is too much dependency on First World countries who are exploitive in every way.
Yet we have one Sport discipline ,cricket being asked to expend major league money (US dollars)
for entertainment and a bit of self gratification at the expense of development of the people
in terms of education,health and basic social services and essential development programs
for the betterment of the citizens.
Jamaica cannot afford to pay teachers a decent livable wage, neither those in the Medical
fields hence skills flight in those areas is a major problem ,the beneficiaries being USA,Canada
and elsewhere that are welcoming and profitable.
These things are not considered by the ICC. This body should treat the Region as a special case
for its uniqueness. The WI cricket entity should be given far more from the huge Pie.
What it is given is a measly sum considering it does not have the means or ways of big TV
money meaning that the several governments have to outlay precious sums on behalf of
the cricket to maintain infrastructure etc.
This is not cheap in todays environment when well appointed 'castles' are to be venues.
Every venue should be upgraded by the ICC as a first step in future,if there is another
hosting on behalf of ICC. This body can afford it and will be better and more worthy
as an International body and Overseer of the game which the WI has made a more than stellar
contribution in enhancing,rescuing and improving the product throughout its history.
Worrell's tour of Australia in 60-61 rescued Test cricket from the drudgery and drabness,
followed by the 1963 tour of England.
WI was at the forefront of putting the White Ball game on the map with the inaugural
WC 50 over variety in 1975 ,an event that gave the game more than a shot in the arm
so enticing that a Mr Packer improved on it to lay the foundation for what we have today
as cricket has found another niche that seems lasting.
WI cricket deserves some tangible reward for its brand of cricket that became admired
the world over.
With the change of financial structure that existed in bilateral times,the ICC is more than
duty bound to given special Treatment to the WI Region. Financially first and foremost.

Tourism only matters to those territories primarily dependent on tourism for their economy

Doesn’t really apply to T&T or Guyana

Not saying every little bit doesn’t help. It does. But tourism dollars should not have been the primary reason those territories bid to host matches at the World Cup.

If it was, they look for what they get

If I was the ICC I would never allow the Caribbean to stage any major tournaments. Some of those games were like practice sessions. The crowd and atmosphere was truly embarrassing. If you switch over at the same time to watch any euro 2024 game you most likely never turn back over. Places like Antigua and St Lucia only have a mass population of under 150, 000 so why wasn't a plan put in place to get bodies on seat in those stadiums ?

In reply to nick2020

I wouldn't exactly call it a tourism disaster for Barbados. Many hotels reporting reasonable occupancy rates, bars and restaurants too, nuff rental cars on the roads misusing the roundabouts, all this at a time when things are normally in a lull, waiting for Crop Over. So the streets may not be paved with gold but money mekking.

In reply to Nick40H

Did a politican tell you that? What is reasonable rates?

Do you believe that there is a significant increase in tourism because of the tournament yet the seats are empty?
Yes there are more people in the islands at a time where travel is generally lowest but did it justify the significant investment geared towards people actually being in the island?

In reply to nick2020

Don't the cricketers travel by charter?

In reply to nick2020

The comms reported that the game had a reasonable amount of people for an early start, were you at the game.

In reply to tc1

Well if the goal was to have a reasonable amount of people then it has been successful. I watched on TV and many of the seats were empty. And of the seats that were occupied how many were visitors?

In reply to nick2020

Hoteliers in Bim reporting 70% occupancy and counting. I would call that reasonable for this time of the year.
And the investment in Kensington will pay off in the future. In fact, it should continue to include indoor facilities, covers for the entire ground, more science in the pitches and turf prep, facility tours, WI Legends Museum.