JAMAICA is moving to establish a Tourism Supply Logistics Centre as an industry-specific special economic zone, making it the operational centrepiece of a broader policy shift aimed at reducing import leakage and pushing more tourism spending into the hands of local farmers, manufacturers and small businesses.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett told Parliament on Tuesday that the proposed centre will become the fifth industry-specific Special Economic Zone under the Special Economic Zone Act, 2016.

The centre is expected to sit within the Government’s Local First policy push, for which Cabinet has approved a concept note. Bartlett said the ministry will now move forward with development of the policy, which is aimed at strengthening local sourcing, supplier development, procurement reform, logistics, financing, quality assurance, standards readiness, market access, and domestic value retention.