We are delighted to announce Jamaica as a finalist in the FIBEGA Gastronomy Tourism Awards category Innovative Destination: Destination that has re-invented itself. Jamaica is the 3rd largest island in the Caribbean, globally recognized for its beautiful white sand beaches and lush mountains where Blue Mountain leads in the coffee sector. An emerging gastronomy scene has flourished in a country known for its excellence in rum, music and food.

One of the sectors that has taken notice is the well-known Blue Mountain Coffee and alliances between private and public sectors are focusing on the creation of events to showcase these products and experiences to tourist and locals alike. 

A study conducted in 2016/2017 by Tourism Linkage Network for The Jamaica Gastronomy Network demonstrated amongst those surveyed that “the perception of Jamaica as a gastronomy destination” grew from 32% in 2016 to 54% in 2017. 

In 2017, the launch of The Jamaican Blue Mountain Culinary Trial experience followed by the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival in 2018 known as the Caribbean’s premier coffee festival, proved a great success and in the promotion of Jamaican Gastronomy. A celebration of Jamaican food, culture and music, the festival focuses on business development for farmers, including a food festival and the culinary trail. 
 
Another strategy was the creation of the master brand www.tastejamaica.com, a site and mobile app providing culinary information from restaurants, farmers markets, festivals and all the gastronomy experiences Jamaica has to offer.
 
 
 
Sources: TheJamaicaGastronomyNetwork
               TASTEJAMAICA
              JamaicaCoffeeFest