Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has emphasized the importance of increasing Jamaica’s role in the global tourism supply chain, particularly in the cruise sector.

He made the comments during a two-day business opportunity meeting with Carnival Corporation and local manufacturers.

The meeting, facilitated by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) sought to explore potential partnerships between Jamaican businesses and carnival’s global cruise lines.

Mr Bartlett highlighted the vital need to strengthen the supply side of the tourism industry in order to maximize the economic benefits for Jamaica.

He said much is spent on the supply side bringing visitors to Jamaica, while the retention rate is only 40 cents on the dollar.

Mr Bartlett said this can be increased to 60 cents by meeting the demand of the tourism sector.

The tourism minister stressed the immense opportunities available in the food supply segment, noting that 42 percent of visitor expenditure is on food.

He pointed out the significant demand for food in the Caribbean’s Cruise Industry, which based on his research is valued at US$5.3 billion and projected to grow to US$17.3 billion by 2033.

Mr Bartlett believes Jamaica has an important part to play in supplying this growing demand, noting that the meeting signalled that Jamaica is ready to take a bigger slice of that US$17.3 billion opportunity.

The meeting provided Jamaican manufacturers with key insights into Carnival Corporation’s purchasing requirements and the process of becoming a supplier to the cruise lines.

The meeting marked a critical step in Jamaica’s ongoing efforts to increase local participation in the global tourism supply chain, ensuring that more of the value generated by the industry is retained within the country.