Jamaica must significantly increase the amount of tourism earnings retained within the local economy by expanding the country’s supply capacity and strengthening local ownership within the industry, says Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett.

“We are somewhere close to 40 per cent now, but we need to go to 50, 60 per cent. India has 60 per cent. They are the highest in the world,” Bartlett said last week, noting that Jamaica currently retains a higher percentage of tourism earnings than many countries in the region but pointed out that greater improvement is needed.

He said the retention level of the tourism dollar in the region averages about 15 cents of every tourism dollar. "Jamaica is ahead of the pack, just below the Dominican Republic, but we need to go further," the minister said while addressing the Tourism Enhancement Fund Speed Networking Event at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James last Thursday.