Jamaica Minister of Tourism made an announcement on the eighth annual Velocity Networking occasion, hosted at Montego Bay Conference Centre.
Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, shared on March 16 on the occasion that since 2016, small enterprise homeowners have earned roughly $653 million from collaborating within the Ministry of Tourism’s Velocity Networking occasions.
“When you think about that since 2016, excluding the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, tourism suppliers earned some $653 million from collaborating in Velocity Networking occasions, it will probably fairly be argued that over the eight years of its existence, near a billion {dollars} in items and providers have been traded proper right here and the cash stays right here as a result of our sellers are all Jamaican producers, lots of them striving to be small and medium tourism entrepreneurs,” stated Minister Bartlett.
Velocity Networking is a business-to-business occasion that enables small suppliers to have brief conferences with consumers at main motels and points of interest. It has develop into one of many extremely anticipated calendar occasions created by the Tourism Linkages Community, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, in a continued bid to strengthen linkages and enhance enterprise between the tourism business and native suppliers of products and providers from different sectors.
“Tourism has by no means earlier than been as inclusive as it’s right now.”
“Since COVID-19, even the salaries paid all through the sector have seen no less than a 20% enhance at each stage. When the business grows, everyone will get an opportunity. We’re in a development cycle, not a restoration. We’re practically 5% over 2019 for the yr thus far. So we’re rising. With development, you will notice the advantages.,” stated Bartlett.
“The numbers communicate for themselves, as 95 % of tourism suppliers have participated twice or extra beforehand, signaling a excessive return fee for the occasion. Take final yr, as an illustration, when a complete of 174 sellers and consumers interacted within the house: 94 % of motels surveyed as tourism consumers stated they have been happy with the merchandise offered to them. Equally, 93.9 % of tourism suppliers reported receiving enterprise leads on account of collaborating within the Velocity Networking Occasion,” he added.
Velocity Networking is led by the Tourism Linkages Community, which is a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF); in collaboration with the Jamaica Lodge and Vacationer Affiliation (JHTA); Jamaica Producers and Exporters Affiliation (JMEA); Jamaica Promotions Company (JAMPRO); Rural Agricultural Growth Authority (RADA) and the Jamaica Enterprise Growth Company (JBDC). This yr, practically 150 contributors registered, representing tourism entities, suppliers and HR Managers.
