Americas

by Barry Alleyne
With the ability to attract large numbers of overseas teams having dwindled to an all-time low, the Barbados Hockey Federation (BHF) will be reviewing its staging of the Caribbean?s longest festival after this year.

Now in its 19th year, the Banks Hockey Festival has been an eagerly-looked forward to annual event, creating more than $2 million in foreign exchange annually, and attracting hundreds of tourists to these shores every summer.

The 2004 version won?t see a single team from England touch the Astroturf at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex. There is just one European team, German side Die Kullen, which will play in the men?s tournament. There is only one from the United States.

A few years ago a record 73 teams visited Barbados for the festival. This year, just 42 ? 40 of them from either Barbados or the rest of the Caribbean, will participate. Last year there were only seven overseas teams.

Secretary Cammie Burke said in an exclusive interview with SUNSPORT yesterday, the festival committee would have to take a fresh look at many things before next year?s event is arranged.

?The Barbados Hockey Federation is committed to the Banks Hockey Festival, and we therefore have to look at all areas where we could improve, and areas where we have made mistakes over the years that have to be corrected,? Burke admitted.

First on that list will be a review of the part played by British tour company, Titans, now in its final year as holders of the exclusive rights to market and attract all overseas teams from Europe.

?It?s unfortunate we won?t have many teams from the traditional countries, but we have to keep working at it. We are disappointed, but we have to find new ways to get people here every year,? the secretary added.

Burke explained that in the first three years of their five-year contract, Titans did a great job of getting players from Europe to attend the festival, but since most of their marketing was directed towards service teams like regiments and military bases, its ability to keep bringing teams had been badly affected by the war in Iraq.

?It?s clear they (Titans) have lost their goal for the festival, which is to bring plenty teams to Barbados, develop hockey, and earn money for the federation. It?s apparent they lost sight a little bit, and certain recommendations will have to be made before we plan for next year,? said Burke.

?There are no British teams this year, and not many overseas teams, but I don?t think that will affect the actual standard of hockey that will be played, especially since Barbadian teams have been champions for the past few years.?

Still, Burke believes the festival?s ability to be a strong sports tourism product remains.

?I don?t think a couple bad years will stop us from being able to be a serious foreign exchange earner or for people from overseas to realise we have a good sports tourism product. I don?t think it has lost strength as an attraction, but obviously quite a few changes will have to be made in the future.?

Burke noted that the sport?s international governing body had shown interest in the BHF?s Hockey Summerfest, the third version which was held last month, and attracted a number of teams from Britain.

?The International Hockey Federation has realised the product we have, and they are now interested in making Summerfest an official stop-over for many European teams, so that should come on stream very soon.?

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