MONTEGO BAY, St James — State minister in the Ministry of Tourism Delano Seiveright is urging smaller players in the industry to explore potential opportunities overseas.

“Pool your resources where necessary and go for more business opportunities elsewhere; it’s very important. Already I am seeing some Jamaican entrepreneurs getting contracts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and other areas around the Caribbean, significant contracts too,” he revealed.

Seiveright was the keynote speaker at Monday’s launch of the Jill Stewart MoBay City Run held at Sandals Montego Bay Resort. The run is set for Sunday, May 4, 2025.

In one of his first engagements since his appointment as state minister he stressed that a lot more can be achieved by working together than by working individually and competing.

“Come together; if you have eight, nine businesses, you may be competitors but sometimes it’s going to come together as a collaborative pool,” he advised.

Smaller players in the tourism industry have long complained of not getting a fair share of the pie. However, Seiveright — who now has responsibility for increasing linkages between the tourism sector and the wider economy — urged them to broaden their horizons.

“Local networking is important but you also have to budget in attendance at critical international shows like IMEX, Fitur in Spain — that’s 250,000 participants in Madrid,” he pointed out.

He conceded that funding may present an issue but pointed to the potential benefits of investing in growing a business.

“You need to be present at these shows because I see the presence of micro, small and big players from other countries — to include the Dominican Republic which is properly represented at these shows,” Seiveright insisted.

“We need to have a presence, and so if you are serious about tapping into this multi-billion-dollar industry [then you must] budget for it, make time for it, and make yourself visible,” he said.

“For our local businesses to succeed they must do more than produce. They must engage, engage, engage. That means showing up at the tables where decisions are made and deals are done,” added Seiveright.

He warned, however, that there are certain expectations that come with having international clients — and these have to be met regardless of challenges faced locally.

“We understand the operational difficulties of operating a business in Jamaica. Let’s be frank: The costs are high, there are infrastructure issues, and there are financing gaps and many other issues that can impact,” he said.

“But if you can’t deliver consistently you’re going to lose out. So, we are here to address those barriers but local businesses [need] to also commit to raising standards and become more trusted and dependable suppliers,” Seiveright continued.

Even though he pushed for the entities to look towards the global market, he stressed that they must also excel locally.