KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has commissioned the Ministry’s Tourism Linkages Network (TLN) to increase consumption of coffee locally by strengthening ties between stakeholders in the coffee and hospitality industries.

The charge was made following a recent meeting led by Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Council Adam Stewart with the key stakeholders in the coffee industry.

During the meeting, the group discussed the challenges the stakeholders face locally and strategies that can be developed by the ministry of tourism to better leverage the product.

“Under the leadership of our chairman, I know that we can do so much more to celebrate and build out products around the Jamaica Blue Mountain (JBM) coffee, so that it can continue to be a tool to bring more visitors to Jamaica and earn more money for our people,” said Bartlett.

“ I therefore charge the Linkages Network to get more of our coffee to every visitor who graces our shores and to share our expertise to leverage the JBM coffee,” added the minister.

 In 2016, Bartlett appointed the Gastronomy Network, a subgroup of the TLN, to promote and offer support to Jamaican cuisine, under which the JBM coffee falls.

The network, which is chaired by Nicola Madden-Greig, has placed special focus on the coffee industry with projects such as the Blue Mountain Culinary Trail launched earlier this year and the upcoming Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival, scheduled for early 2018.

The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival will be a three-day event in the Blue Mountain region. It is expected to feature activities such as training and development seminars for coffee farmers; coffee farm and factory tours; culinary tours and experiences; and a coffee exhibition. International coffee buyers will also be invited to attend the festival.