Jamaica Sport, an agency formed to "explore commercial opportunities provided by sports tourism," was launched on Wednesday in Kingston, according to Leighton Levy of the JAMAICA GLEANER. The agency will "also seek to leverage brand Jamaica and sporting events held locally and internationally to ensure that the country maximises on its publicity, public relations, as well as marketing and promotional opportunities." It will be headed by businessman and corporate exec Christopher Dehring. For the past two years, Dehring headed the Sports Tourism Implementation Committee. Jamaica Minister of Sport & Entertainment Wykeham McNeil said, "It will work in tandem with the National Council on Sport and will develop mechanisms to bid on or host strategically important sport events. They will develop a methodology and system to identify and select indigenous sports events to be endorsed and facilitated by Jamaica Sport" (JAMAICA GLEANER, 10/2). The AP reported Jamaica Sport is part of an effort to "diversify the tropical nation's tourism offerings." McNeil noted Jamaica's "sprinting dominance at the Olympics and other global meets and says that 'now is the time to capitalize on this potential'" (AP, 10/1).
