Minister McNeill to Attend Important UNWTO Executive Council Meeting

Kingston, Jamaica: May 31, 2014 - Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill is set to participate in the 98th Session of the Executive Council (EC) of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), to be held in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from June 4-6, 2014. The Minister departs the island on Sunday, June 1.

Delegates from all across the globe are slated to attend the summit. Among the issues to be addressed at the high-level meeting are efforts aimed at mainstreaming tourism in the global agenda, an assessment of international tourism in 2013 and the outlook for 2014.

Jamaica, represented by Minister McNeill, has been elected chair of the UNWTO Executive Council (EC) for the year 2014-2015. The election took place during the UNWTO's 20th Session of the General Assembly in August 2013. Jamaica will assume its position as chairman in September 2014 and will preside over several important meetings, including the next UNWTO General Assembly. It is the first time that an English-speaking Caribbean country will hold the position of chair.

The island currently serves as first Vice-Chairman of the EC for 2013-2014, after being re-elected to that position in August 2013.

Before travelling to Spain, Minister McNeill will visit New York, where he will attend several crucial meetings and participate in the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s (CTO), Caribbean Week in New York activities.

Minister McNeill is being accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, Mrs. Jennifer Griffith and returns to the island on Saturday, June 7, 2014.