Samarkand, Uzbekistan; Monday, October 20, 2023: Jamaica’s position as a leader in the global tourism industry has been further bolstered after the Caribbean nation secured the post of second vice chair of the United Nations World Tourism Organization's (UNWTO) Executive Council. This significant achievement follows a recent vote held on the margins of the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. After an impressive lobbying effort by the Jamaican delegation, Jamaica received a resounding 20 votes, while Lithuania garnered 14.

The Executive Council is a highly esteemed body and is responsible for the management and implementation of strategic decisions carried out by the UNWTO.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, expressed pleasure at Jamaica's election, stating: "We are greatly honoured and heartened by Jamaica's election to the UNWTO Executive Council as the second vice chair. This achievement reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainable and innovative tourism and underscores the trust the global community places in Jamaica's leadership in the travel and hospitality sector. We eagerly anticipate our meaningful contributions to the Council's work in this capacity, with a focus on promoting the vital role of tourism in economic development and driving positive change in the industry."

The twenty-fifth session of the UNWTO General Assembly is being held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 16 to 20, 2023. This session represents the first assembly in the post-COVID-19 era, with the full participation of approximately 159 member states. The General Assembly serves as the supreme organ of the UNWTO and convenes once every two years, with delegates representing both full and associate members. The discussions during the General Assembly encompass a wide array of topics, including tourism's role in sustainability, investment, competitiveness, education, and the future of tourism.

Jamaica's election as the second vice chair follows its recent selection to serve on the UNWTO Executive Council from 2023 to 2027, alongside Colombia. This decision was made during the 68th UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) in Quito, Ecuador, in June.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; Friday, October 13, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett will depart the island tomorrow (October 14) to attend the highly anticipated twenty-fifth session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly, which will be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from October 16-20, 2023.

This session will mark the first staging in the post COVID-19 era, with all of the approximately 159 member states slated to attend the General Assembly, which is the supreme organ of the UNWTO. Its ordinary sessions are held every two years and are attended by delegates representing the Full and Associate Members.

The General Assembly will entail several sessions, and focus on numerous topics, including: Tourism and Sustainability; Investment; Tourism and Competitiveness; Education; and Redesigning Tourism for the Future.

“As we enter the post-COVID-19 era it is crucial that all UNWTO member states meet to examine the state of the industry and plot the way forward as we strive to maintain the robust recovery and growth of the global tourism industry in the aftermath of the pandemic. Therefore, this session of the General Assembly is quite timely, and I look forward to very fruitful discussions,” noted Minister Bartlett.

Minister Bartlett’s trip comes on the heels of Jamaica being elected to serve on the UNWTO Executive Council from 2023-2027 alongside Colombia. The decision was made during the 68th UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) held in Quito, Ecuador in June. The Executive Council is a highly esteemed body and is responsible for the management and implementation of strategic decisions carried out by the UNWTO.

“As an Executive Council member, we will seek to capitalize on the opportunity provided by the General Assembly to contribute to the discourse on the most pressing issues affecting the tourism industry by adding our voice as one of the most tourism-dependent nations in the world as we seek to build resilience and foster sustainable development,” Minister Bartlett added.

Minister Bartlett is slated to return to the island on October 22, 2023.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, October 11, 2023: In a compelling plea, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has again urged the international community to urgently unite in establishing a Global Resilience Fund to aid in boosting tourism resilience. This innovative initiative, he suggests, would encourage tourists to take personal responsibility for bolstering the ability to respond, mitigate, adapt, and recover from the impacts of climate-related shocks.

Addressing the Joint 5th Urban Economy Forum and 59th ISOCARP World Planning Congress yesterday, Minister Bartlett underscored his vision: "Imagine if each tourist were to contribute a small tip after every purchase made in their destination. This simple act could potentially generate billions of dollars, crucially needed by nations that are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change but often lack the necessary resources to enhance their resilience."

The call to action came during an opening session which forms part of the three-day event organized by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), under the theme, "For Climate Action, Urban Finance: Climate-responsive Planning for Equitable Places and Communities." 

Minister Bartlett took the opportunity to underscore the unique challenges faced by small island developing states (SIDS), citing factors such as their small size, limited resources, geographical isolation, and heightened susceptibility to climate change. These vulnerabilities manifest as threats like natural disasters, economic fragility, food security concerns, energy dependencies, health vulnerabilities, and biodiversity loss.

In response to these challenges, the Minister stated: "Effectively addressing these vulnerabilities demands a multifaceted approach, including international cooperation, climate resilience initiatives, sustainable development strategies, and rigorous efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

Minister Bartlett passionately emphasized the need for SIDS, including Jamaica, to receive international support in their efforts to build resilience and pursue sustainable development in the face of these extraordinary challenges.

Acknowledging the significant role of tourism in global carbon emissions, with tourism activities contributing approximately 8% of global CO2 emissions and poised to double by 2035, Minister Bartlett emphasized the urgent need for a more sustainable model in the industry.

Simultaneously, he reiterated Jamaica's unwavering commitment to sustainable tourism and highlighted the country's climate-responsive policies and initiatives, including the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development, the Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS), the Blue Ocean Strategic Framework, the Community Tourism Policy, and the Tourism Linkages Networks Policy.

Within the context of climate action, the Minister emphasized that, alongside government initiatives, individual responsibility is a pivotal component of the equation. He explained, "Personal responsibility entails supporting policies and initiatives that promote sustainability and equity, and actively engaging with our local governments to hold them accountable for their commitments to climate action and urban development." 

"It also means educating ourselves and others about the importance of climate-responsive planning and sustainable financing," he added, "so that we can make informed decisions and advocate for change."

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, October 9, 2023: An announced plan by Flow to invest half a billion US dollars in Jamaica over the next three years, has been welcomed by Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett as a boost to connectivity and tourism development locally.

Investment of the funds was announced by Chief Executive Officer of FLOW’s parent company, Liberty Latin America, Balan Nair during a dinner at the Rose Hall Great House to wrap up the company’s board of directors’ meeting held in Montego Bay recently.

“We have spent about US$550 million in the last 36 months. Liberty and Flow will spend the same amount, US$550 million in the next 38 months. We’re so excited about Jamaica,” said Mr. Nair.

Expressing thanks to the multinational telecommunications and entertainment company for investing in Jamaica, Minister Bartlett reflected on the record growth in tourist arrivals pre and post COVID-19 and asserted: “We do this because we’re connected and your business is about connectivity and productivity, and you’re part of this great revolution that has now created not just a connected world but a hyper connected world.”

Mr. Bartlett added that “for the first time we’re beginning to see communication moving itself from the center to the peripheries; it’s now knowledge that is available to anyone, to everyone everywhere.”  He said this level of connectivity was challenging what was being done and the way things were being done, and “tourism has been that vehicle through which global connectivity has been realized. That’s what we do. We simply travel, move from one place to the other for the purpose of connecting with individuals, cultures and processes and redefining the way that relationships are understood.”

He pointed out that this was being achieved through technology and that telecommunications infrastructure provided the backbone for that connectivity “which now provides for us the opportunity to bring consumption patterns to diverse places on planet earth.” 

In doing so, “we leave a footprint of economic value, and Jamaica’s position as a destination has enabled us to earn in the last two years, US$7 billion and provided employment for 175,000 people directly and 354,000 indirectly,” Minister Bartlett told the Liberty Flow directors.

In the same vein, Minister Bartlett posited that the telecommunications industry was being challenged in its ability to drive the future of tourism “because our connectivity now is no longer dependent on our ability to move from one location to another but is contingent on our appreciation, our knowledge and ability to manipulate the virtual space.”

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica; Friday, October 6, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has hailed as transformational the move by local grown resort chain, Sandals Resorts International, to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) to train its employees, through the use of virtual and augmented reality.

Noting that the initiative had the potential to dramatically reshape the education and training landscape in the tourism sector and other industries Minister Bartlett said: “This platform offers the potential to advance education and training outcomes to unprecedented levels, thereby guaranteeing that our workforce is not just knowledgeable but also well-equipped to meet the future needs and challenges of a dynamic industry that operates in a rapidly changing environment.”

Minister Bartlett was making the keynote address at yesterday’s launch (October 5) of a partnership between the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) and EON Reality, a global pioneer in virtual and augmented reality software development, at Sandals Royal Plantation hotel. He said “in a dynamic and constantly changing global landscape, it is by way of innovations such as the SCU-EON XR Platform that we will be able to guarantee our continued relevance and maintain a competitive edge.”

He opined that such endeavours would guarantee the sustained position of tourism as a global leader in education and training benchmarks, adding that “the goal is not to merely establish a platform, but more importantly it is to herald the advent of a new paradigm in education transformation.”

Sandals has begun using the technology to train its over 16,000 employees across the Caribbean. Terming the launch of the SCU-EON XR Platform a milestone innovation, Minister Bartlett stated that the venture will mark the start of Jamaica’s tourism workers transitioning into a new technological age.

Terming the platform as revolutionary, Mr.  Bartlett said “the utilization of artificial intelligence and extended reality will be employed to redefine training and capacity building, particularly within the tourism industry.” 

He also saw the virtual platform playing a pivotal role in ensuring the resilience of the tourism sector and maintained that “in pursuit of excellence in tourism, it is always important to recognize and celebrate projects and innovators who push the boundaries beyond the transformative capabilities of modern technology.”

Also taking part in the launch were Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart; Senior Corporate Director, SCU, Dr Luz Longsworth; Chairman, SCU Advisory Board, Wayne Cummings; and Co-Founder and President of EON Reality, Mats Johannson, who demonstrated the use of the EON XR, with Minister Bartlett and Mr. Stewart personally participating.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, October 4, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has extended heartfelt congratulations to two of Jamaica's renowned hotels, S Hotel Jamaica and Jamaica Inn, for their exceptional achievements in the prestigious Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards for 2023. 

In this year's edition of the awards, readers ranked S Hotel Jamaica #1 Hotel in the Caribbean and Central America with an impressive score of 99.33, while Jamaica Inn secured the 6th position with a commendable score of 94.17.

In celebrating the news, Minister Bartlett said, “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the management and staff of S Hotel Jamaica and Jamaica Inn for their remarkable rankings in the Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards. Undoubtedly, these results reflect the commitment of both of these stellar hotels to providing exceptional hospitality experiences.” 

Lauding S Hotel Jamaica, the luxury and lifestyle travel magazine wrote: "At S Hotel, you get the laid-back vibe of a stay in Jamaica with a bit of South Beach glitz—they even line the deck of their sleek pool with some of the island's famous white sand."

Jamaica Inn was praised by Condé Nast for its outstanding customer service and hospitable staff. They wrote: "Staff make you feel at home and go out of their way to make sure you have the most enjoyable experience possible."

Minister Bartlett expressed his elation at these outstanding achievements, saying, "These accolades demonstrate the dedication and hard work of their respective teams and underscore Jamaica's position as the premier destination in the Caribbean and Central America."

He further added, "Jamaica remains the ideal destination for relaxation, and the wonderful work being done by our tourism stakeholders, including S Hotel Jamaica and Jamaica Inn, ensures a memorable, safe, secure and seamless experience for all our visitors."

These awards celebrate the best and most beloved brands and establishments in the travel industry, recognizing their excellence through the unwavering support and reviews of Condé Nast readers. This follows big wins for both hotels at the recent World Travel Awards Caribbean and The America’s Gala 2023, where S Hotel Jamaica was named Jamaica’s Leading Hotel and Jamaica Inn took home the award for the Caribbean’s Leading Luxury All Suite Resort.

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, October 3, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the tourism sector has recorded another remarkable quarter of growth. Citing preliminary figures from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Mr. Bartlett said, “the economic performance figures for the third quarter of the year show that Jamaica continues to shine as a premier destination, with significantly increasing stopover arrivals and earnings.”

“Over the period July 1 to September 30, 2023, Jamaica welcomed some 682,586 stopover arrivals, representing a 5.5% increase compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year. The earnings from this quarter also displayed an impressive upward trend, reaching roughly 1 billion US dollars, representing a substantial 7.3% increase over the same period in 2022,” Minister Bartlett said.

He expressed his enthusiasm for the consistent growth observed in the tourism sector, adding: "This continues the spectacular growth pattern of tourism. Both in terms of visitor arrivals as well as for earnings. Indeed, it marks the 10th consecutive quarter since the COVID-19 pandemic that we have shown significant growth."

One notable aspect of this growth pattern is the performance of the UK market, which has continued to outperform other markets outside of the United States. Commenting on the trend Minister Bartlett said: "The pattern of growth for this market has been noteworthy also as the UK market continues to outpace the other non-American markets, and Jamaica now is the number one destination in the Caribbean for UK visitors. We want to grow that, and our Jamaica Travel Market tradeshow, which just ended in the UK has indicated a pattern of continued growth."

Jamaica Travel Market was held in the UK from September 28th - 29th and provided businesses with the unique opportunity to meet, network, negotiate and conduct business with Jamaican suppliers, such as resorts, hotels, ground agents and car rental firms. 

The tourism minister also emphasized the exciting potential of the Canadian market, sharing his optimism for improved growth there. He outlined: "We're excited about Canada and the prospects for improved growth from Canada. I just left them with a new thrust to realize 500,000 visitors by 2025, which will be driven by some new demographics emerging from the Asian-Canadian and luxury markets."

While in Canada, Minister Bartlett launched the Jamaica Tourist Board’s new “Come Back to Luxury” campaign in Toronto and met with executives from the major airlines with flight service to Jamaica, tour operators as well as travel agents, which included being the keynote speaker at a Mandarin Holidays event targeted at the Asian Diaspora in Canada.

Kingston, Jamaica; Tuesday, October 3, 2023: The performance of the island’s vibrant tourism sector continues to attract the attention of global investors as a team from Iceland will be visiting Jamaica in January 2024, to examine luxury tourism opportunities as well as the potential of the island’s health and wellness tourism offerings, through its spas.

The disclosure was made by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, following recent discussions with a delegation from Iceland in London. The meeting included Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Sen. the Hon. Aubyn Hill, and representatives from the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO).

Highlighting the significance of the pending initiative, Minister Bartlett noted, "Iceland is known to be the number one spa and wellness destination in Europe and arguably the world. They have some of the finest spas and natural blue holes, offering steam baths to thousands of well-heeled visitors." 

The tourism minister outlined that the collaboration aims to harness Iceland's advanced knowledge and resources in relation to health and wellness tourism. Minister Bartlett said: "The collaboration that we seek is to utilize that strong database which Iceland has and to leverage our 24/7 nice, warm weather and our unique natural assets."

With the global landscape for travel and vacation preferences evolving due to a growing emphasis on overall well-being, visitors are increasingly seeking destinations that align with their health and wellness goals. In this regard, the health and wellness tourism industry has seen tremendous growth, with a global market value estimated to exceed $4 trillion.

This strategic move also aligns with the Ministry of Tourism's Blue Ocean Strategy, which places emphasis on innovative policies, systems, protocols, and standards to ensure visitors enjoy a safer, secure, and seamless experience. It also emphasizes the development of a diversified portfolio of unique and authentic attractions and activities, drawing heavily on Jamaica's natural and cultural assets.

"By creating unique and differentiated offerings, Jamaica can stand out in a crowded global market. This will attract travellers seeking novel experiences and position the country as a premier destination for sustainable tourism," added Minister Bartlett. It was also outlined that the team from Iceland will also explore the possibilities for geothermal energy as a renewable alternative to augment Jamaica's energy mix.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Friday, September 29, 2023: The highly anticipated Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2023 Youth Forum has been hailed as a “major success,” as the event saw strong support from hundreds of students and teachers from across the island. Over 300 Tourism Action Club (TAC) members attended the event, which was held on World Tourism Day (WTD) - September 27, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

The forum forms part of a series of activities planned by the Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and tourism partners, to mark Tourism Awareness Week 2023 from September 24 – 30. The week is being observed under the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) theme for World Tourism Day - “Tourism and Green Investments,” which seeks to underscore the need to invest in people, planet and prosperity.

The event saw participation from members of some 22 Tourism Action Clubs from schools in resort areas and provided an opportunity for students and their teachers to gain a deeper understanding of various aspects of the industry.

The Excelsior Tourism Action Club was the first to be formed in 1995 and Vice President, Yeshima Thompson said the Youth Forum allowed participants to learn about areas of tourism that they weren’t aware of before. “It gave them very good information and opened their eyes to different opportunities and possibilities in the tourism sector,” she expressed.

An enthusiastic Kishnel Miller of Meadowbrook High School found the Youth Forum engaging, stressing that: “It was a great experience.” 

Kaola Waysom, a CAPE student with a keen interest in tourism said: “I really love this, honestly. I think it’s good for the youth, to educate them about tourism and the future, and how to be sustainable and to educate them about the way forward in green tourism.”

Meanwhile, reigning Junior Minister of Tourism Deja Bremmer said: “most of the presenters here, they are quite young, that is admirable, and there’s a lot that the student can get.”

When quizzed about her new role, she said: “It means a lot.” She argued that: “There are many young persons out there who are very passionate about tourism and want to be involved and I’m grateful that I got to be the Junior Minister of Tourism for Jamaica.” She said this made her a tourism youth representative, which gives young people a voice “and I want to serve as an inspiration for other youths.” 

Commenting on the Youth Forum, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith noted that: “It’s very, very important that the youth are a part of what we do in tourism because the youth represent the future of tourism and so Tourism Awareness Week, which incorporates World Tourism Day, is an appropriate time to get them to be a part of tourism activities; to get exposure, to have discussions. It’s a learning environment for them and so it’s very good to have so many schools here today.” 

Director of Tourism, Donovan White said Tourism Awareness Week was a time of reflection. “It is a time to look at the sector with a view to addressing any existing challenges and improving on what we are doing.” He added: “We are proud of all that we have achieved that increases the love for destination Jamaica across the world.”

The various activities in the Youth Forum were topped off with a crowd-pleasing performance by the very talented Ashe performers, which followed earlier captivating presentations by students of Dunoon Park and Jose Marti Technical High Schools.

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, September 25, 2023: Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC), with responsibility for Water, the Environment and Climate Change, Senator, the Hon. Matthew Samuda has revealed that some 2.7 million trees have been planted under the National Tree Planting Initiative, which was launched in 2019 by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness with a goal of three million trees in three years. 

Speaking today (September 25) during a speaker series and tree planting exercise, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, its public bodies and tourism partners, at the Excelsior High School, Minister Samuda said: “Let us meet the three million trees target by December 31st of this year – three hundred thousand trees in three months. We’re going to be increasing our partnerships and the Forestry Department will make the seedlings available because we have to make that target. As a part of our restoration efforts, we all have a part to play. That’s the way we’re going to keep Jamaica cleaner and greener.” 

The tree planting exercise and speaker series presentation form part of a series of activities planned to mark Tourism Awareness Week 2023, which is being observed from September 24 – 30 under the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) theme for World Tourism Day (September 27) – “Tourism and Green Investments.” The theme seeks to highlight the need to focus on investing in people, planet and prosperity. 

Excelsior High School was the first school to launch a Tourism Action Club (TAC) in 1995 and was the recipient of an evergreen tree planted in the heart of the campus. TACs are managed by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and are active in secondary and tertiary institutions across the island.

“By planting trees, though a small gesture, each one of us is making a lasting contribution to the preservation of planet Earth, the place that is our universal home, and you will agree with me that doing so is something worth getting your fingers dirty for,” noted Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith who delivered greetings on behalf of Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett. 

“We want to thank the Ministry of Tourism for investing in Excelsior today through the provision of a tree that is a symbol of growth, prosperity and sustainability,” added Evan Thompson, President of the Excelsior High School Past Students Association, which accommodated the tree planting exercise under its existing tree planting programme at the institution. 

Tourism Awareness Week continues with a Virtual Knowledge forum tomorrow (September 26), a Youth Forum on Wednesday (September 27 – World Tourism Day) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre and a Visionary Symposium and workshop on Thursday and Friday (September 28 and 29), respectively.