Bartlett pushes ‘local first’ tourism at new MBJ artisan store
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WESTERN BUREAU:
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica must do more to retain tourism earnings within the local economy, as a new artisan-focused retail concept officially opened at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay last Saturday.
The Artisan District, founded by Jamaican entrepreneur Lindsay Templer, features exclusively Jamaican-made products ranging from jewellery and ceramics to wellness items, artwork and lifestyle pieces, all created by local artisans.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Bartlett said the initiative represented the type of “local first” tourism model Jamaica must embrace as the industry moves towards greater sustainability and resilience.
“This is the essence of what local first is all about,” Bartlett said. “When you come to Jamaica, you must enjoy the supplies that are provided by Jamaicans.”
He argued that Jamaica must move beyond depending solely on hotel rooms to extract value from tourism, insisting that local products, services and creativity must play a greater role in visitor spending.
“The idea is they must not take back US$1,” Bartlett said of visitors arriving on the island. “Our job must be to extract the wealth, and it isn’t extracted only by the hotel rooms.”
Bartlett said projects like The Artisan District create direct economic opportunities for Jamaicans while helping to reduce tourism leakage.
He also described the products being sold as “conversation pieces” rather than traditional souvenirs.
“These are not souvenirs,” he said. “What you’re getting here is a connection between yourself and the artist who did it.”
Templer said the store was created to give Jamaican artisans greater visibility within one of the Caribbean’s busiest tourism hubs.
“Very quickly, it became important to me to create a platform where those individuals could not only sell their products, but also share their work and their stories with the world,” she said.
She noted that every product in the store was personally curated and made in Jamaica.
“For many local artisans, opportunities like this are deeply meaningful because they show that local talent belongs on an international level,” said Kacion Collins, one of the artisans featured in the store.
Bartlett said the initiative aligns with the broader direction of Jamaica’s tourism industry, which he described as entering a new phase centred on resilience, sustainability and stronger local participation.