KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Tourism Ministry this afternoon disclosed that the country earned a record US$2 billion during the first eight months of this calendar year from 2.8 million visitors.

The figure, according to the ministry, represents an increase of 8.3 per cent in gross foreign exchange earnings than the US$1.83 billion earned last year over the same period. In addition, cruise passenger arrivals were up 5.1 per cent for the same period.

Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett said his mission is to “enhance the retention of the dollar from this US$2 billion. In fact, the latest report from the World Travel & Tourism Council indicates that the retention of the dollar, from the consumption side has risen to 70 per cent.

“The Tourism Linkages Council is going to drive that value added that is needed to take the retention levels in Jamaica from 30 cents to at least 50 cents, for the total dollar that is spent”.

The tourism minister was speaking at the press briefing to report on the year-old TEF/EXIM Bank Small Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTE) Loan Facility, at the ministry’s New Kingston offices today.

He also highlighted that direct contribution from tourism to the GDP at the moment is 8.4 per cent but the induced and indirect contribution is now 27.2 per cent.

Bartlett noted that tourism remains one of the few labour intensive sectors and directly employs 106,000 Jamaicans while generating indirect jobs for one in four persons, linked to sectors such as agriculture, creative and cultural industries, manufacturing, and construction.