Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says his Ministry is moving towards developing Jamaica’s unique cultural events into products that can be marketed as part of the country’s tourism offerings.
The Minister noted that the Tourism Ministry is working with the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport to create some of those products.
He was speaking at the 2020 launch of Carnival in Jamaica last week.
Mr. Bartlett said so far, $10 million has been allocated to the Culture Ministry which is working with the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association to create cultural Reggae products.
Regarding Carnival, he noted that this is one of the country’s events that is being packaged as a tourism product.
In the meantime, Mr Bartlett says he wants the annual Jamaica Rum Festival to become a part of the island’s tourism offerings, and has given the Ministry’s support to help make the event an established product.
Speaking at the recent launch of the Festival, the Minister said that the Ministry, along with the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), is pumping $6 million into the festival as part of its partnership with the rum companies that are hosting the festival.
The event will be held from February 29 to March 1 at Hope Gardens in Kingston.
He argued that the Rum Festival, coupled with the recently launched Coffee Festival, will serve to enhance the country’s global appeal as a travel destination, and strengthen the country’s gastronomical appeal.
