NEGRIL’S business community is upbeat ahead of this year’s staging of the annual Dream Weekend party series which, it is hoped, will bring a much-welcomed boost to its economy.

“Dream has been in Negril since 2009 and it has had a huge impact on Negril in different ways. It brings in a lot of revenue for us in Negril. Usually, the hotels are booked out and it creates a lot of economic activity down here, so it is something that we look forward to every year and is something that we hope will continue into the foreseeable future,” Richard Wallace, president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, told the Jamaica Observer.

Negril borders the western parishes of Hanover and Westmoreland and is part of the leisure industry. Hanover boasts the larger hotels, while smaller ones are mostly located in Westmoreland.

Dream Weekend, the largest-running summer party in Jamaica, is expected to run from July 29 to August 1, 2022.

“It shows that this is something that we can use to boost business in the off-season and the slow times in Negril, because events can pull a lot of traffic. So, we do appreciate what Dream Weekend does and we look forward to it every year,” said Wallace.

Recently, managing director of Dream Entertainment, Scott Dunn told the Observer that a 2020 report indicated that Dream Weekend pulled $4.3 billion into the Jamaican economy.

“It is significant. It is a welcomed time of year for most people in Negril and hoteliers. I know for the all-inclusive hotels, a lot of them are booked, especially the smaller hotels as well. The smaller establishments like, you know, are the villas and guest houses,” said Wallace.

Wallace, principal of Boardwalk Village Hotel in Negril, said his establishment is fully booked for the period. He also indicated that food establishments, restaurants, gas stations and supermarkets will also benefit from the influx of partygoers.

“I haven’t received any figures for accuracy but I can speak for my hotel that we are booked out for Dream, as we are every year. So, I am assuming that most hotels are [filled] also — [and] if not booked out, have high occupancy,” said Wallace.

The Negril Chamber of Commerce president said he is also encouraging patrons to party responsibly, as well as to be mindful of COVID-19 and monkeypox. He said that while promoters are doing their best to provide sanitising stations, patrons will still have to take personal responsibility for their safety.

“We have to be very wary of both of them because there is a new strain of COVID out and a lot of people are still getting it so we have to be very careful,” said Wallace.