Jamaica forum pushes stronger local linkages

The Tourism Linkages Network ran the speed‑networking forum in Negril, Westmoreland in partnership with the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA), according to The Gleaner’s March 14, 2026 report. jamaica-gleaner.com Carolyn McDonald Riley, director of the TLN, said the Negril meeting was chosen because the resort town had “rebounded solidly” after Hurricane Melissa and this was the first speed‑networking event held in Negril. jamaica-gleaner.com Dr Carey Wallace, executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), told participants the initiative aims to ensure more Jamaican businesses benefit from “the billions of dollars generated by the sector each year,” linking local sourcing to community wealth creation. jamaica-gleaner.com Wallace also flagged shifting travel flows tied to geopolitical disruption — specifically the war in the Middle East — as a factor redirecting visitors to the Caribbean, a point he raised at the Negril forum. jamaica-gleaner.com The TLN’s Speed Networking programme has a track record of economic impact, with the Tourism Minister reporting it generated J$1 billion since its 2016 launch during the programme’s 10th‑anniversary announcement on March 13, 2025. traveldailynews.com The TLN itself is a Cabinet‑approved initiative established in June 2013 as a division of the TEF to push tourism to source more goods and services locally, a mandate reiterated at the Negril event. tef.gov.jm Kathryn Silvera, president of the JMEA, said the forum provides manufacturers and service providers direct access to hotel purchasers and can open export pathways for Jamaican producers, comments highlighted in the Gleaner’s coverage. jamaica-gleaner.com