WHAT recession? Party promoters are investing more than ever in holiday 'sessions' and patrons can't seem to get enough.

Indeed, despite the worse recession since the Great Depression, young partygoers are on a splurge this Emancipation holiday weekend. Armbands for both major series of parties -- Smirnoff Dream Weekend and Appleton Temptation Isle (ATI) -- in Negril were sold out by the middle of last week, at a minimum of $10,000 each. What's more is

that hoteliers in Negril were expecting 100 per cent occupancy as some 15,000 persons, mostly party faithfuls from Kingston, were expected in that northwestern resort town for the long weekend.

Kamal Bankay, a promoter with Dream Team, organisers of Dream Weekend, marvelled at the overwhelming response to this year's event.

"It's not very often in Jamaica that people sell out a show for anything at all, but we are actually sold out," Bankay told Sunday Finance last week.

He noted that the economic spin-offs were far-reaching, providing a major boost to a town which, like many across the island, has been grappling with the ills of a struggling economy.

"There's a huge economic benefit for the town of Negril," said Bankay.

"Conservatively, the hotel spend will be about US$600 per person for the weekend... and take into account all the spin-off business that the area will be doing -- people need to eat, get toileteries, etc" he noted.

Dream Weekend offers a total of seven parties and patrons can either purchase the armband which offers entry into all, or select individual parties and pay an admission price for that event only. The gate prices for the individual parties at Dream Weekend range from $2,000 to $4,500. It's a similar concept for rival party ATI, which offers a total of seven parties with gate prices ranging from $1,500 to $4,500.

But patrons aren't spilling the cash for just music and liquor. They are treated to multi-demensional entertainment events, full of amenities as party promoters invest big to lure the masses year after year. From helicopters airlifting patrons and landing them in the nearby ocean on jet skis at Daydreams to exotic animals on display at Xtreme Wet and Wild, what's for sure is that party promoters will pull out all the stops.

"We added this dimension where we are trying to break through the box and invest a lot in these wow factors," revealed Bankay.

"For instance, at Daydreams there is going to be some fireworks which really brings a highlight moment to an event," he said, adding "Things like this, we are consistently investing in so that the patron experience is always improved."