Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw shares his ideas on how his Ministry can offer new methods to reduce imports in the tourism industry with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett during a Tourism Linkages Council Meeting on June 19 at the Tourism Enhancement Fund’s New Kingston offices.
MINISTER of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says his ministry will be working closely with Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Audley Shaw to ensure that imports for use in the tourism sector see a drastic reduction in the near future.
The decision was made during a Tourism Linkages Council meeting at the office of the Tourism Enhancement Fund on Tuesday, where Shaw was a special guest.
Bartlett explained that the first thing his ministry intends to do is host a series of town hall meetings, organised by the Tourism Linkages Network, to give local producers a better understanding of consumption patterns before making changes, which will ultimately have a positive impact on the economy.
“We have produced over time for seasonality and quotas, and we have not become accustomed to 24/7 consumption that is what the tourism industry needs. We have to produce larger volumes and we have to be selective in the products we produce. We also have to bear in mind that the consumption patterns in tourism are the same as the consumption patterns of the locals,” he said.
In response to concerns raised by members of the council about the buying patterns of international all-inclusive resorts, the minister noted that he will also be meeting with relevant ambassadors to arrive at an amicable solution.
Leave A Comment