Festival this September.

Minister David Allen is preparing to pump the cash into advertising and public relations despite admitting some disappointment over the number of people who visited last year's show.

His department's North American Integrated Marketing Plan highlights a campaign designed to pack out the West End event, which this year has been moved until later in September.

Tourism officials see the show as an "image builder'', even though they admit it was "potentially overspent for the arrivals and capacity'' last year.

Much of the difficulties last year were due to limited airline capacity, but over half the 5,200 tickets were sold in the US. This year, on September 15 and 16, performers include Roberta Flack, Spyro Gyra, Boney James and Diana Krall.

Sponsored by Alcatel, a French-based telecommunications company, the Government will be supporting advertising on US jazz radio stations, cable TV, direct marketing and the Internet. There will also be a high profile launch and a radio promotion offering free trips to the festival.

Cash boost Meanwhile, the Department of Tourism is looking to boost the peak summer months of July and August, which have been in decline. The marketing plan says: "Without some type of marketing effort to support these months, there is no reason to expect that the downward trend will be reversed...'' Promotion ideas include offering a competition, cash booking incentives for travel agents or offers such as on-Island discounts, free moped rental or transportation passes. With a budget of $1 million, Tourism Minister David Allen is hoping the campaign -- via newspapers, direct marketing and PR -- will convince people to change their existing holiday plans or take an unscheduled break.