Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett underscored the need to enhance Jamaica’s position in the global tourism supply chain, particularly within the cruise sector, during a two-day business opportunity meeting with Carnival Corporation and local manufacturers, according to a press release.
The meeting, hosted by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) on September 23-24, 2024, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, aimed to explore potential partnerships between Jamaican businesses and Carnival’s global cruise lines.
Bartlett emphasized the importance of strengthening the supply side of Jamaica’s tourism industry to maximize economic benefits for the country.
“I am very driven to enhance the supply side of tourism,” said Bartlett. “We spend so much on the demand side, bringing 4.3 million visitors to our shores and generating $4.5 billion USD, yet our retention rate is only 40 cents on the dollar. But we can increase that to 60 cents by meeting the demand of the tourism sector.”
Bartlett highlighted the substantial opportunities within the food supply sector, noting that 42 percent of visitor expenditure is on food. He also cited the significant demand for food in the Caribbean cruise industry, currently valued at $5.3 billion USD, with projections to reach $17.3 billion USD by 2033.
“We think Jamaica has an important part to play in supplying this growing demand,” continued Bartlett. “Today’s meeting signals that Jamaica is ready to take a bigger slice of that $17.3 billion USD opportunity.”
The meeting offered Jamaican manufacturers insights into Carnival Corporation’s procurement needs and the steps required to become a supplier for its cruise brands, including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard.
Photo: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left), warmly greets Ms. Marie McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Government and Destination Affairs at Carnival Corporation, ahead of a two-day business opportunity meeting at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. The meeting, hosted by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) on September 23 and 24, 2024, aimed to explore potential partnerships between Jamaican manufacturers and Carnival’s global cruise lines.
