RENOWNED for its stunning beaches and vibrant culture, Jamaica is poised to explore its untapped potential on the global stage thanks to the visionary efforts of a cadre of Jamaican leaders.

The initiative, known as ‘Jamaica Beyond The Beach’, spearheaded by Jamaican American Karen Y Johns, is set to propel the country’s assets into major global markets, creating opportunities for significant earnings for local businesses.

With a focus on collaboration, inspiration, and engagement with the Jamaican Diaspora, the initiative aims to address this challenge head-on. The gathering of influential individuals is dedicated to transforming the nation’s beloved assets into sustainable revenue streams in major global markets.

Johns, the chief executive officer of California-based non-profit organisation the GOOD Institute, home of Net Impact, is leading the charge through her ground breaking programme, Connect Caribbean.

With a core emphasis on agriculture, business, culture, and sports, the venture seeks to unite a community of experts and stakeholders to leverage their talents, resources, and networks to drive growth in these vital sectors.

Throughout August, Johns, a native of Kensington, a rural village in Portland, orchestrated impactful meetings among more than 60 Jamaicans across various fields.

These included business executives, artists, religious authorities, education leaders, medical professionals, politicians, and young talents. Johns effectively showcased the concept of Jamaica Beyond The Beach, emphasising the significance of agriculture, business, culture, and sports.

“Jamaica has so much more to offer than just beautiful beaches. I want to highlight the possibilities of agribusiness, accelerating existing businesses onto the global stage instead of focusing on startups, and just culture for profit,” said Johns.

Key events during August included an Independence Day Luncheon at the historic Regardless (The Manley Centre), the former residence of Jamaica’s visionary political and artistic leaders, Norman and Edna Manley.

The highlight of this hybrid luncheon was a thought-provoking dialogue among 25 multi-generational leaders. The audience was engaged in riveting discussions on Jamaica’s future, identity, and potential.

Johns also hosted an exclusive dinner at New Kingston’s Liguanea Club. This dinner gathered influential business executives in a think tank format, aimed at devising strategies to deepen Jamaica’s global market penetration. Consultants in attendance included Diane Edwards, Maximillian L Hamilton, Ian Randle, and Minna Israel.

Edwards, a former head of Jampro and current director at the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM) Professional Services, highlighted the importance of reaching broader markets.

“Black America presents a substantial opportunity for Jamaican products. By tapping into the black community, which is increasingly visiting Jamaica, we can build stronger economy and business ties,” said Edwards.