KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Tourism is seeking to create a Tourism Supplies Hub that will help to position Jamaica as the premier logistics centre in the region for training and certification of tourism workers, suppliers for cruise and airlines, and resilience and technology support.

Portfolio Minister Edmund Bartlett made the disclosure during the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) virtual staging of its 59

^th

annual general meeting, recently.

He said this would be a response to the cruise companies, which have indicated that they would like to secure supplies from Jamaica as well as additional workers.

“We have been in long discussions with our cruise partners, and although I cannot announce to you today the exact date when cruise will resume in Jamaica, I can tell you that we have been very vigorous in terms of efforts to redefine our relationship between ourselves and the cruise lines,” the minister said.

Meanwhile, he said the ministry will be establishing a team of tourism recovery experts, who will chart the course for the full reopening of the sector.

He informed that it will comprise nine members, including three industry players and representatives from the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (JMEA), Jamaica Bankers Association (JBA) and the health sector.

He shared that the team will be fit for purpose and will reflect an inclusive approach.

“You will recall that at the beginning we had set up the Tourism Recovery Task Force; that team will evolve into this new team…it will not be as big as the team we had before, but it will consist of a number of the players who were there and some other experts whom we are bringing on board. I will have more to say at a later date,” he explained.

Additionally, he said the ministry is looking to launch a collaborative global marketing campaign that will bring partners in private sector and government together, to speak with one voice and market Jamaica as a COVID-19 resilient destination, based on the country’s protocols and Resilient Corridors.