Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller said linkages between tourism and other sectors of the economy should be developed and strengthened as there is enormous potential within the Caribbean to supply the sector's collective needs.Speaking at the opening of the Caribbean Travel Marketplace on Sunday night, Simpson-Miller said Jamaica has developed a Tourism Linkages Hub in its Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment which enjoys the active participation of the hotel association, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation.
"It is driving a process to further develop and strengthen the linkages between tourism and other sectors of our economy. This need not be a strictly national initiative. I would wish to see similar initiatives taking place on a regional level. There is enormous potential within our region to supply this sector's collective needs," she told hundreds of delegates attending the two-day event organised by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA)."Some members of our Caribbean community have greater potential for agricultural productivity, while others may be further along the road in manufacturing. There is no need, or room, for parochialism in these areas. Forging firmer linkages between our productive sectors and the region's tourism sector can only be of benefit to us all," she said.