Minister Bartlett to Participate in UNWTO General Assembly

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 29, 2021: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island yesterday to attend the twenty-fourth session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly, which will take place in Madrid, Spain, from November 30 to December 3, 2021.

The General Assembly will focus on innovation, education, rural development, and tourism's role in inclusive growth. Additionally, the programme includes the approval of proposed amendments to the UNWTO Affiliate Membership Legal Framework, the UNWTO Students' League finals, and the appointment of the UNWTO Secretary-General for the period 2022-2025. 

“The event will also feature a Video Competition, which includes two categories: Exceptional Tales of Tourism Resilience and Tourism Promotion and the Decade of Action. The General Assembly is the UNWTO's principal gathering and the venue for Member States to adopt the UNWTO's biennial work program and budget for 2022-2023,” the Minister outlined.

All of the approximately 159 member states are expected to be in attendance in Madrid for the General Assembly, which is the supreme organ of the UNWTO. Its ordinary sessions are held every two years and are attended by delegates of the Full and Associate Members.

“The General Assembly is the most critical meeting of senior tourism officials and high-level private sector representatives worldwide. It is the principal gathering of the UNWTO and meets to approve the budget and programme of work and debate ‎topics of vital importance to the tourism sector,” Minister Bartlett explained.

Minister Bartlett is slated to return to the island on December 5, 2021.