Manufacturers Urged to Make Good Use of Tourism Linkages Event

President of the Jamaica Manufacturers’ Association (JMA), Brian Pengelley, is urging manufacturers to make good use of the opportunity created through the Tourism Linkages Speed Networking Event to boost the promotion and sale of their products to the tourism industry.

“Do not waste this opportunity….make your pitch. I have said to all my members…ask the questions, make sure you understand what your potential customers want, what’s new, what’s innovative, what can you bring to them that  may not have thought of…there is no wasted question,” he advised.

Mr. Pengelley was addressing the opening of the event held on Wednesday, January 21, at the Half Moon Conference Centre in Montego Bay, which brought together some 50 hotels and attractions and over 80 local manufacturers and suppliers of goods and services.

The event spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, provided a platform for suppliers to market their products and services to members of the hotel and attractions trade, make contacts, and negotiate business contracts for 2015 and beyond.

The JMA President said it is important for participants from both the supply and demand side to do follow-ups after the event.

“If you are not able to consummate a deal (today) within a couple of days you must be back to the people whom you have spoken with and honour commitments made…promises made, promises kept,” he said.

Mr. Pengelley welcomed the staging of the event, which was being held for the first time. “This is a red letter day in Jamaica. This is the first session of anything like this that’s ever been done here. Yes! We are going to learn as we go….it may not be perfect, it may not be done exactly like it should, but we are learning too,” he said.

The JMA was one of the main sponsors of the Tourism Linkages Speed Networking Event.

Other sponsors include the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, Sandals Resorts International, JAMPRO, Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).