ST JAMES, Jamaica — Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett has called on craft traders and producers in the resort city of Montego Bay to put themselves in order and prepare for increased sales opportunities.

Noting that expansion of cruise shipping for Montego Bay is on stream, Bartlett said, “The port is being expanded to accommodate the largest ship in the Carnival Cruise Lines that is to come in 2020 and the Aida is also going to bring their largest ship with 6,000 passengers, during the period, so we have to prepare ourselves for the expansion and the larger volume that is coming.”

Bartlett’s assurance was given to executive members of the Harbour Street Craft Market during a walk-through to speak one-on-one with traders and producers on Friday.

Bartlett also spoke to the need for marketing and use of social media. “We’re going to have to start marketing through internet marketing platform CLIO, who we are going to engage so that all our markets will be on their schedule and that will help to position you on board the ships before they come so that people will know where they are going and not be taken anywhere when they get off at the port,” he said.

“It’s important for us to ensure that the strategy of building the retentive capacity of our economy for the tourism dollar is understood by all and that need for us to keep more of the dollar in Jamaica supersedes all the other needs right now,” said Bartlett as he underscored the realisation that “what makes that retention happen is the local capacity that we build and that is about the ordinary Jamaican who is providing the creative experience that the visitor consumes when they come here.