Montego Bay, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 8, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed his excitement about the recent developments within the Jamaican tourism industry as Catalonia Hotels & Resorts yesterday (May 7) announced its purchase of the Holiday Inn Resort, Montego Bay from East Bay Management Company Limited, led by prominent Jamaican businessman Kevin Hendrickson. Minister Bartlett celebrated the move by Catalonia, a respected international hospitality brand, as a strong signal of confidence in Jamaica's tourism sector and a potential trigger for further investments.

Concerning this, the tourism minister said, “The acquisition of the Holiday Inn Resort by Catalonia Hotels & Resorts signifies not just a successful handover from a local leader to a global brand but also the continued attractiveness of Jamaica as a destination for world-class hospitality investments.” 

Minister Bartlett commended Mr. Hendrickson for his significant contribution to the tourism sector, saying, “His continued commitment to excellence and his leadership at not only Holiday Inn Resort but across the entire Courtleigh Hospitality Group have undoubtedly contributed to the property’s success and, ultimately, to its appeal for a prestigious brand like Catalonia.” 

In a joint press release announcing the purchase, Mr. Hendrickson noted that it was a difficult decision to sell the resort. “I am proud to leave it in the hands of a company with such prestige and hotel experience as Catalonia Hotels & Resorts. We wish to thank all our guests for their passionate support over the last sixteen (16) years and for making us a part of your family,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Catalonia Hotels & Resorts expressed their enthusiasm for expanding their presence in the Caribbean. “We are excited to expand our presence in the Caribbean with the acquisition of this resort. As a Spanish hotel chain with over 40 years’ experience in tourism this acquisition represents a major landmark for the company, intensifying our presence in the Caribbean, and highlighting our commitment to expansion into new and vibrant markets,” said Mr. Félix Navas, General Manager for Catalonia Hotels & Resorts.

In the meantime, Catalonia has outlined ambitious plans for the property as they intend to invest significantly in it within the coming months to ensure it aligns with their high standards while maintaining a strong commitment to the local community and environment. 

“This focus on employee well-being and positive local impact aligns perfectly with Jamaica’s own emphasis on sustainable tourism development and value chain integration at all levels of the sector,” added Minister Bartlett.

DUBAI; United Arab Emirates; Tuesday May 7, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is calling for a more aggressive push for human capital development which is critical to future proof tourism for small island states like Jamaica. The Minister made the call during ‘The New Age of Island Tourism’ panel at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai.

“The future of tourism will depend on innovation, agility and creativity from our workers who are at the heart of our hospitality machinery. It is through the dedication and commitment of our tourism workers that the industry has been able to recover from the pandemic and grow. For Jamaica in particular, our workers are the backbone of the county’s success including our enviable 42 percent repeat visitor rate,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett.

Hosted by Author Mark Frary, the panel included H.E Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Seychelles, Dr. Emad Abuelanain, Associate Professor of Tourism - University of Khorfakkan and Nicolas Torio, General Manager, voco Monaco Hotel - The Heart of Europe. The panel looked at the uniqueness of island tourism and its overall contribution to global tourism.

“Small island states like Jamaica are heavily tourism dependent so investment in our human capital development is critical to our growth strategy including building resilience. Our workers are our most iconic attraction and increasing their certification will increase the capacity to earn and contribute to the country’s tourism development. The business of mitigation and adaptation to manage disruptions is important and can only come from building our human capital which we have invested in through the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett.

The Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation was established to provide certification for students and recent graduates studying Hospitality, Tourism or Culinary Arts, as well as persons working in the tourism industry. From April 2023 to March 2024, a total of three thousand three hundred seventy-nine candidates successfully attained certification, representing an impressive 91% success rate. 

“We have also targeted high school students with the implementation of the Hospitality and Tourism Management programme to ensure succession planning with the next generation of tourism workers,” added Minister Bartlett.

The Minister is leading a mission at Arabian Travel Market being held in Dubai. Over the last three decades Arabian Travel Market has become a leading global event enabling growth for the travel and tourism industry with thousands of participants attending. Minister Bartlett will be in discussions with several tourism partners and stakeholders as part of his strategic vision of attracting more visitors from this region.

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, May 6, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is urging Jamaicans to seize the multitude of opportunities available within the tourism sector, emphasizing the industry’s potential to generate significant economic benefits for the entire nation.

While delivering the powerful message during his 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate opening presentation in Parliament recently, under the theme, “Tourism Gives Even More for 2024,” the tourism minister underscored the Ministry’s commitment to expanding the positive impact of tourism throughout Jamaica.

“Tourism generates a demand for a staggering $365 billion worth of goods annually,” Minister Bartlett said, stressing the vast potential for local businesses to cater to this demand. “Last year alone, over four million tourists visited our shores, spending over US$4 billion. While some of this money remains in our economy, a significant portion goes towards purchasing goods that are not locally available,” he added. 

Minister Bartlett further stressed the critical role Jamaicans can play in capturing a greater share of this spending. “The success of the tourism industry, in terms of wealth creation, hinges on our ability to provide the goods that the industry requires,” he noted.

He underscored that “the earning opportunities in tourism are tremendous, and there are countless ways in which every Jamaican can be inserted in the lucrative tourism value chain.” 

In keeping with this, the tourism minister outlined a comprehensive strategy for Jamaicans to become active participants in the tourism value chain. According to Minister Bartlett, this strategy encompasses both reinforcing traditional strengths and pioneering new ventures.

He said: “Embrace traditional roles such as expanding local accommodations, culinary expansion, and training more local experts in cultural, historical, and eco-tourism.” 

On the other hand, Minister Bartlett encouraged exploration of innovative concepts, listing health and wellness tourism, agri-tourism, digital tourism platforms, and the entertainment and nightlife scene as areas with exciting possibilities for Jamaican entrepreneurs. 

Beyond these new ventures, he also highlighted emerging trends that hold immense potential. Regarding this, the tourism minister said: “Explore emerging opportunities such as sustainable tourism initiatives, cultural festivals, sports tourism, medical tourism and educational tourism, which can be beneficial.” 

Finally, Minister Bartlett highlighted the importance of enhancing the visitor experience. He listed community-based tourism, technology integration, environmental sustainability, and exceptional gastronomy and shopping experiences as areas in which Jamaica can excel and differentiate itself from the competition. 

“By thinking outside the box, we can unlock a wider range of opportunities beyond traditional resorts,” Minister Bartlett expressed. He continued: “By spreading the benefits of tourism throughout Jamaica, we can create a brighter future for everyone – citizens, businesses and visitors alike.”

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, May 3, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island today for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), to participate in the highly anticipated Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2024 trade show. He will be joined by Director of Tourism, Donovan White and other representatives from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) for the prestigious event, which runs from May 6-9, 2024.

The ATM is a global event focused on fostering growth and opportunity within the Middle Eastern travel and tourism industry. This year’s theme, “Empowering Innovation - Transforming Travel Through Entrepreneurship,” underscores the event’s commitment to exploring innovative and sustainable tourism trends.

Minister Bartlett emphasized the importance of Jamaica’s participation in the ATM trade event, saying: “Participation in the Arabian Travel Market is a key part of our global marketing strategy.” He continued, “There is no other event quite like it, offering an unparalleled platform for exposure and establishing valuable connections within the Middle Eastern travel industry. We look forward to engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders, including media outlets, tour operators, airlines, and potential investors, all with the goal of fostering new collaborations and propelling further growth in Jamaica’s tourism sector.”

“This year’s focus on entrepreneurship within the context of innovation and sustainability is particularly timely. Jamaica is a bedrock of creativity and talent, and we are eager to showcase the unique experiences offered by our homegrown tourism entrepreneurs,” the tourism minister added. 

Minister Bartlett’s schedule in Dubai is packed with high-level engagements designed to strengthen Jamaica’s position in the Middle Eastern tourism market. 

With this in mind, the tourism minister will be actively engaged with the media throughout the event to promote Destination Jamaica. He will participate in a series of interviews, with media entities such as Al Khaleej, a leading Arabic language newspaper, and Seyyaha.com, a prominent travel and tourism website in the region. He will also participate in an interview with CNN Business Arabic, as well as Sky News. He will also be a guest on the Business Breakfast programme on Dubai Eye 103.8 FM.

Minister Bartlett’s expertise as a tourism thought leader will also be sought after on the ATM’s Future Stage, where he will contribute to a panel discussion on “The New Age of Island Tourism.”

The JTB booth will serve as a hub for strategic meetings throughout the event and Minister Bartlett will connect with key decision-makers from leading travel and tourism companies, including Khalil Hasan, Managing Director at Nirvana Travel & Tours; John Varkey Khailat, Manager of VIP Holidays at Omeir Travel; representatives from luxury travel operators, Dulaiman; and Faraj Nissam from Kanoo Travel. 

Minister Bartlett will also participate in high-level discussions with several representatives of Emirates Airlines, and travel management and advisor companies such as Virtuoso and Sharaf Travel.

Beyond these targeted meetings, the tourism minister will also take part in a media and trade event, after which he is scheduled to meet with Mohamed Elsayed Elbaraga, Group Marketing Director at Fursan Travel, followed by a meeting with Holly Mccan, General Manager at Travel Counsellors. He will also meet with marketing representatives from Buzz Marketing as well as Jacobs Media.

Minister Bartlett is scheduled to return to Jamaica on Friday, May 10, 2024.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Friday, May 3, 2024: Some 12 international and regional airlines, including carriers flying from over 200 gateways out of the US alone into Jamaica, have contributed to “impressive growth” in activities at the Sangster and Norman Manley International airports. Collectively they generated US$200.28 million or J$30 billion in revenue from a record-breaking 6.96 million passengers traversing them in 2023.

In his 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate opening presentation in Parliament earlier this week, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett outlined that including flights to St Mary, “the connectivity that Jamaica enjoys today is unprecedented in the region; only Dom Rep has a higher level of air connectivity than Jamaica.”

Minister Bartlett explained that “in 2023, our destination recorded a remarkable 15.4% increase in airlift capacity compared to the previous year, totalling 4,105,313 seats. This increase in capacity resulted in an average load factor of 83.5%, accommodating 3.4 million passengers.”

The Minister underscored that Jamaica’s robust air connectivity framework enabled the country to welcome an estimated 2.96 million stopover visitors for fiscal year 2023/24, reflecting a 9.4% increase over the 2022/23 financial year.

Minister Bartlett highlighted several key achievements in boosting airlift. Internationally, the introduction of a new nonstop service from Denver, Colorado, by United Airlines was a significant milestone, marking the first nonstop service from the US Rockies to Jamaica in a while.

Southwest introduced new nonstop flights between Kansas City, Missouri and Montego Bay; Delta Airlines resumed nonstop flights between New York’s JFK and Kingston, and later in the year, American Eagle inaugurated nonstop flights between Miami and the Ian Fleming International Airport in St Mary.

Minister Bartlett announced that American Airlines had signalled its “intent on increasing to daily, nonstop flights between Miami and St. Mary, signalling the strong demand and the long-term viability of the new route.”

For the Canadian market, two services were inaugurated, one by Jetlines offering nonstop flights between Toronto and Montego Bay, and the other by Flair Airlines from Toronto to Kingston.

Minister Bartlett announced a surge in tourists out of Canada, facilitated by at least 65 Canadian flights coming in per week. Last year’s 375,000 Canadian tourists represented a 39% increase over 2022 and “already for 2024, Jamaica is seeing an 11% increase over last year in airline seats from Canada,” including new flights out of the cities of Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

Meanwhile, for the UK market, Norse Airline diversified the international flight options with the introduction of a new low-cost carrier from London Gatwick, while Virgin Atlantic has added nonstop flights between London Heathrow and Montego Bay.

As an added boost, major European tour operator, TUI, ranked Jamaica as the best performing long haul destination for the group, which operates up to nine flights per week between the UK cities of London, Manchester and Birmingham - and Montego Bay.

Regionally, a collaboration with Copa Airlines facilitated additional flights from Panama to Montego Bay and Kingston utilizing larger aircraft to meet a growing demand from the Latin American market. Elaborating on “a remarkable 40% increase” in the Latin American market, Minister Bartlett said Jamaica welcomed “approximately 36,000 visitors in 2023” with this region remaining the most significant new growth market opportunity.

Further afield, with India seen as a high-potential tourism market, TRAC Representations (India) has been appointed Jamaica’s local market representative, with responsibility for engaging with local travel partners and media, fostering trade and consumer awareness of the Jamaican brand and developing suitable air connectivity options to the island. “This strategic partnership seeks to tap into India's burgeoning travel market and position Jamaica as a desirable destination for Indian travellers,” Minister Bartlett expressed.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Thursday, May 2, 2024: Investment in Jamaica’s tourism industry has soared to new heights with existing hotel companies expanding their stake while new investors are in line to build new properties.

During his 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate opening presentation in Parliament earlier this week, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett underscored that “confidence in Jamaica's dynamic tourism industry remains steadfast, laying a solid foundation for remarkable growth in the years ahead.” He said with the imminent completion of 2,000 new rooms this year, significant strides are being made towards the target of adding 20,000 rooms within the next ten to fifteen years. 

On Saturday, May 4 the 753-room Riu Palace Aquarelle will be officially opened in Trelawny, to be followed later in the month by the opening of the first 1,000 rooms of the Princess Grand Jamaica in Green Island, Hanover. Also, the 450-room Unico Hotel in Montego Bay is aiming for an opening date next summer.

He noted that “these developments signify expansion and demonstrate our commitment to providing world-class hospitality experiences to visitors from around the world,” Minister Bartlett added that construction start up dates or development plans were also being awaited for thousands more resort rooms.

High on the list is Princess Resorts, which will add another 1,000 rooms to complement those that are now near completion. Also in Hanover, Grand Palladium in Lucea will expand with an additional 1,000 rooms and further west, the Wyndham brand will rise again in Jamaica with the construction of Viva Wyndham’s just under 1,000 rooms just north of Negril. An exclusive high-end luxury development is also in the making for Westmoreland.

Meanwhile, work progresses on Hard Rock’s 1,100 rooms in Montego Bay, Secrets is expanding by just over 100 new suites, and a major new 1,285-room resort, the name not yet disclosed, is also slated for the island’s tourism Mecca.

The development of tourism continues in Trelawny with major hotel brands, Harmony Cove, Planet Hollywood and the expansion of H10 resort.

The Minister also outlined that Bahia Principe in St Ann is undertaking a multifaceted expansion project to include villas, condos, hotel rooms, a PGA-certified golf course, a fishing village, and housing for tourism workers, using a broadly environmentally sustainable development approach, while Secrets is set to develop a 700-room hotel in the Garden Parish. 

Minister Bartlett emphasized that in addition to creating in excess of 30,000 new and part-time jobs, these developments promise to substantially benefit various sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture, small businesses and the wider community.

“Jamaica is poised to welcome a wave of robust investments from diverse sources, including local Jamaican businesses and international entities from Canada, the United States, Thailand, the Middle East, Mexico, and Europe,” he added.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, May 2, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced a significant milestone in the Ministry’s mission to “weave a safety net” for Jamaica’s invaluable tourism workers, as the ground-breaking Tourism Workers Pension Scheme (TWPS), launched in January 2022, has surpassed 7,000 contributing members, recording $1.63 billion in contributions as of April 2024. 

“This is a commendable accomplishment in two years, especially when viewed against the backdrop that in 2022 several tourism operators were still recovering from the adverse impact of the pandemic,” declared the tourism minister, during his 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate opening presentation in Parliament earlier this week.

The TWPS, a first-of-its-kind initiative in the world, offers a vital safety net for tourism workers. “This pioneering scheme continues to serve as a support system, ensuring our hardworking personnel can retire with dignity and security,” Minister Bartlett emphasized.

These impressive figures, exceeding J$80 million in monthly contributions, position the scheme to reach a total of over J$2 billion by summer 2024, the tourism minister noted. 

Minister Bartlett further highlighted that, “the endowment fund that was seeded with J$1 billion by the Government now stands at J$1.25 billion as of March 31, 2024. Therefore, when added to the total contribution to date, Total Funds Under Management stand at J$2.88 billion. So, based on the run rate, Total Funds Under Management will reach J$3 billion by June of this year.” 

The tourism minister also stressed the importance of good governance. “I am also quite pleased to indicate that the Board of Trustees, which governs the scheme is now fully and properly constituted in keeping with the Act, as we recently appointed five member-nominated trustees to the Board,” he added.  Additionally, he noted that audits for the scheme are up-to-date, with 2022 financials completed and 2023 audits currently underway.

In the meantime, the tourism minister outlined the Ministry’s ambitious plans for the TWPS. “The Chairman of the Scheme expects a significant increase in membership, given a number of strategies that will be pursued over the next 12 months,” Minister Bartlett revealed. These strategies include targeted advertising campaigns, outreach to tourism operators and self-employed individuals, collaboration with industry associations, and diversification of investment management approaches.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is reporting significant growth in the island’s tourism sector with preliminary gross earnings of US$4.38 billion, a 9.6% increase over fiscal year 2022/23 and “the largest revenue flow from tourism in the history of the tourism industry.”

Concurrently, an estimated 2.96 million stopover arrivals reflect a 9.4% increase while cruise arrivals were up by 9.0% from the previous period in 2022/23 to reach 1.34 million passengers. The Minister also noted that “2024 began with a bang,” with Jamaica now set to achieve its target of 5 million visitors in four years instead of the 5 years projected. 

The numbers were disclosed in Parliament by Minister Bartlett as he opened the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate yesterday (April 30), with a comprehensive review of the industry’s performance. Underscoring that the tourism dollar had a wide reach, Minister Bartlett said: “When tourism dollars reach local businesses and residents, it creates a more equitable economy, leading to a strong Jamaica where opportunities are accessible to everyone.”

Noting that: “The industry has enjoyed a record-breaking year, surpassing all industry experts’ expectations,” he went on to state that the significant increase in arrivals was also reflected in the numbers for the traditional winter period, January to April 2024, with a projected 1,294,722 passengers occupying 85% of the 1,523,202 seats available across regions. He outlined that more than 80 percent of travellers through the airports were tourists and the money earned from them was benefitting everyone.

Pointing out that this load factor equalled that of the 2019 record, Minister Bartlett said Jamaica’s key markets demonstrated strong performances in capacity increase from the US, which is the largest source market. 

“The US maintained a majority stake in the overall market with a 74% share of total arrivals, outperforming 2022 by 16 percentage points and our second largest market, Canada experienced remarkable growth of 38.6%, accounting for 12.9% of the market,” said Minister Bartlett. 

Short-term vacation rental is also booming with data from Airbnb indicating that guest check-ins for January to December 2023 increased by 28% over 2022 and generated an estimated J$31.8 billion in gross earnings from 1.3 million guest nights. Mr. Bartlett said “the short-term vacation rental subsector continues to gain market share, with approximately 36% of visitors opting for this accommodation category and it is anticipated that developments in the local construction sector will contribute additional stock.”

Underscoring the impact of the record earnings from tourism, Minister Bartlett said: “The impact has been that several of our communities that were reeling from COVID-19, as a result of this record performance, are now buzzing centers of commerce and activity again and are providing more jobs.”

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Despite the ongoing challenges facing the global cruise industry, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that Jamaica’s tourism sector is poised for continued growth in this important area, while noting that cruise shipping recorded 1.26 million arrivals in 2023, 48.3% above 2022 figures.

Speaking yesterday (April 30) during his opening presentation of the 2024/2025 Sectoral Debate in Parliament, Minister Bartlett said, “I am pleased to say that the expectation is that the 2024/25 vessel arrivals and passenger count will equal or exceed those in the 2023/24 fiscal year despite the challenges in the sector.” 

In light of this, the tourism minister’s remarks highlighted the proactive approach being taken by the Ministry and its public bodies such as Jamaica Vacations Ltd. (JamVac) in navigating the complex cruise industry landscape. Minister Bartlett used the opportunity to underscore some of the key takeaways from his high-level engagements with cruise partners at the recently held Seatrade Cruise Global trade event in Miami, Florida. 

“Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) has reaffirmed its commitment to Jamaica and has set a target of maintaining their tally of 400,000 visitors to Falmouth every year. Additionally, Disney Cruise Lines expressed their satisfaction with their current operations in Falmouth and have expressed their willingness to consider Port Royal as a future destination, pending the requisite logistical arrangements,” added Minister Bartlett. 

He further explained that positive discussions with MSC Cruises suggest a larger strategic partnership and potential infrastructure investments in Jamaica with negotiations also underway to attract luxury yacht calls from high-end operators.

Beyond these partnerships, Minister Bartlett noted that Jamaica boasts several strategic advantages in the cruise industry such as leading the way in sustainability. Bartlett added that: “Our cruise partners also acknowledged the importance of the island’s ability to bunker vessels. Bunkering refers to the process of supplying fuel to ships, and Jamaica is the only Caribbean destination with the capacity to bunker vessels with Liquified Natural Gas.” 

Moreover, Minister Bartlett also discussed Jamaica’s homeporting potential, saying, “Jamaica is also able to serve as a homeporting destination, and we are exploring opportunities to expand the supply of goods and services to the vessels that visit our ports.” 

Additionally, the tourism minister also addressed the temporary closure of the main berth in Ocho Rios due to weather damage earlier this year. In this regard, he said: “Vessels originally scheduled to dock at the main terminal have been rescheduled to Reynolds Pier. Fortunately, investments were made to improve cruise handling capabilities at Reynolds Pier, allowing Ocho Rios to retain a significant portion of its cruise calls and passengers. All the other vessels not booked into the Reynolds Pier have been rebooked to berths in Falmouth and Montego Bay.” 

Looking ahead, he disclosed that Jamaica will host the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) 2024 Platinum Member Cruise Summit this June. The tourism minister explained that this high-profile event presents an opportunity to showcase Jamaica’s advancements in cruise infrastructure and world-class attractions to key decision-makers in the global cruise industry.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Wednesday, April 24, 2024: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has urged young people “to become a part of the tourism machinery that is driving global development and economic growth.”

The appeal was made as he addressed the Jamaica Youth Tourism Summit, hosted by Tourism Management students at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Western Jamaica Campus at the Montego Bay Convention Centre recently, with hundreds of students from local high schools in attendance.

The summit was held under the theme “Preserving our Roots … Embracing Changes.” Speaking on the topic ‘Cultural Retention in Modern Tourism,’ Minister Bartlett drew attention to the fact that globally the industry has been undergoing significant changes in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Bartlett posited that “understanding tourism is at the heart of recognizing your culture because tourism is simply the marketing of your culture.”

With innovation driving recovery and growth of the industry, Minister Bartlett said tourism was now in the vortex of innovation. “It’s a new tourism that has emerged since COVID-19 and it’s a tourism that is also going to be influenced heavily by technology.”

The students heard that their involvement in the transformative process, guided by technology, was vital to understanding what their primary duty was. “Your primary responsibility is not merely to accumulate the knowledge, useful as that is, your primary responsibility must be, in time, to use the knowledge that you have to add value to your process,” Mr. Bartlett added.

He told the students that last year Jamaica earned US$4.2 billion from 4.1 million visitors and was the only country in the western region to have had 11 consecutive quarters of economic growth “and that is driven by 11 consecutive quarters of tourism growth.”

Attributing these successes to the Jamaican culture, Minister Bartlett said, “we’re an innovative and resilient people, and that resilience has enabled us to be able to reduce unemployment during this period from 13% to 4.2% in our country.”

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, Dr. Carey Wallace charged participants with the responsibility of sharing the knowledge gained at the youth tourism summit and encouraged them to stand out as leaders, especially at this time in the country’s history.