Kingston, Jamaica; Saturday, July 1, 2023: Jamaica has set its sights on regaining its share of the South American visitor market.

With the region now almost fully recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has assured that the time is right to regain pre-pandemic market share.

Minister Bartlett, who was recently in Quito, Ecuador, for the 68th World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) and Seminar on Sustainable Investments, is confident of Jamaica regaining lost ground in South America.

“We think that South America is ready for Jamaica again. The response I got while I was there, meeting with the ministers from Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Peru all indicate that their economies are again able to provide the flow into the region that we had prior to COVID,” he said.

Recovery in South America is now at just under 70% of pre-COVID-19 levels and, said Minister Bartlett, “Success in restoring this market, coupled with the full recovery of the American and British markets, will guarantee us meeting our targets of just about three (3) million visitors from stopover arrivals in 2023 and projected earnings US$4.2 billion.”

Prior to the pandemic, Jamaica had some 11 flights per week between Panama and Jamaica by Copa Airlines, which offers connections throughout Central and South America, and new services by LATAM Airlines with three weekly flights between Lima (Peru) and Montego Bay offering convenient connections with cities in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia.

The stage is now being set for a major market blitz covering Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru between July 28 and August 4, 2023, led by Mr. Bartlett in full coordination with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).

“Development of the thrust for gaining market share for Central and South America will begin in earnest,” said Minister Bartlett as he recalled the good relationship that had been built up prior to the pandemic.

“But now we are restoring that relationship, commencing with preliminary discussions taking place with Fidel Murgueytio, General Manager of Ecuador’s largest tour operator for sending traffic to the Caribbean, Maxitravel,” he said. Talks on the renewed initiative have also been had with Minister of Tourism for Ecuador, Hon. Niels Olsen on areas for cooperation in tourism that will redound to the benefit of both countries.

Ecuador is strong on eco-tourism and altitude tourism and Minister Bartlett outlined that in a collaborative programme, Jamaica will be assisted in both areas “and we will reciprocate in terms of resilience and sustainability, the building out of human capital programmes as well as product development in relation to destination assurance and marketing.”

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) is also looking to expand its satellite network in South America with Minister Olsen expressing keen interest in seeing this through to reality. Details of a memorandum of understanding are to be worked out with a view to having it signed in short order.

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, June 30, 2023: The parish of St. Thomas is set to experience a rapid transformation of its tourism product with the surge of new developments on the way. Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett reinforced this while addressing residents in Hillside during the recently concluded islandwide Destination Assurance tour. Minister Bartlett stressed that once key pieces of infrastructure like the Southern Coastal Highway Improvement Project (SCHIP) and the new Morant Bay Urban Centre are in place, investments will begin to flow into the eastern parish.

“The St. Thomas and Portland corridor is the new exciting frontier for tourism development in Jamaica. The effect of the highway both to connect Kingston to St. Thomas as well as to connect St. Thomas to east Portland is going to be the game-changer for providing high-end tourism offerings in the area. We’re already seeing interest and action from locals coming in with their strong investment dollars to look at real estate development, and we’re excited about that,” asserted the tourism minister.

At the same time, Minister Bartlett encouraged Jamaican investors to start brainstorming ideas for St. Thomas and emphasised that he wishes to see a locally driven transformation effort that creates experiences for the people of Jamaica first, which are then shared with the rest of the world.

In discussing the natural assets that make St. Thomas attractive, Minister Bartlett noted, “Reggae Falls excites us. Even though it is not a natural fall in the sense of what the geophysical features endowed us with, it still has the essence of what a really lovely fall is all about. What is also unique about it is the river. We have two rivers that meet in the area, and with it, we could do a riverine experience along with the falls.”

The tourism minister underscored that the site visit was investigative and aimed at more closely understanding the asset so that the Ministry could better formulate a plan that incorporates all the necessary players as well as the community in building a product that is enjoyed by local and international visitors.

Additionally, Minister Bartlett visited the Bath Fountain Hotel, which he said would undergo further development shortly. The tourism minister also indicated that he would be returning to St. Thomas in July for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly rehabilitated road leading to the hotel, which was financed by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and executed by the National Works Agency (NWA).

Quito, Ecuador; Wednesday, June 28, 2023: Jamaica  has been elected to serve on the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Executive Council for 2023-2027 alongside Colombia. The decision was made during the 68th UNWTO Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) currently underway in Quito, Ecuador.

In celebrating the achievement, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said, “Jamaica has been among the top-performing countries in the Americas leading a robust recovery in travel and tourism. Being elected alongside Colombia to represent our regional colleagues is an incredible honour, and we look forward to contributing wholesomely to the organization’s thrust to promote tourism as a driver of sustainable economic growth for developing nations especially.”

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

“We are thrilled by the expression of confidence our fellow member states have shown. I continue to invite deeper collaboration among regional partners as we work to build resilience regionally and internationally. We are among the most tourism-dependent regions in the world, and it is imperative that our views are represented at the highest level,” added the tourism minister.

Other decisions arising from the meeting include the Dominican Republic’s selection to serve as President of the Regional Commission for Americas for 2023-2025. Argentina and Paraguay have been selected to serve as Vice-Presidents of CAM for the same period as well as for the UNWTO General Assembly to be held in October.  

Minister Bartlett has been participating in a series of panels, presentations and seminars focused on tourism investment trends and opportunities in the Americas. A highlight of the 68^th CAM was the Investment Seminar that explored the promotion of investments through technical cooperation, building capacity for tourism development and accessing financing that accelerates climate resilience in the regional sector.

It was agreed that Cuba would host the 69^th CAM scheduled for 2024.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, June 28, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has indicated that discussions are underway for further development of the Ken Wright Cruise Ship Pier in Port Antonio, Portland. The pier experienced its busiest winter season with the arrival of 12 cruise ships, carrying over 5000 visitors and on average 43 yachts arriving per month including several mega yachts, last winter.

Speaking recently while on a Destination Assurance tour of Portland, Minister Bartlett said, “We had a chance to look at the Ken Wright Pier, which has now been brought back into activity post-COVID. We’re very happy to note that they had a record arrival of vessels in the winter that added to the economic well-being of the people in the area. It’s a good signal that the activities at the pier are stepping up and I want to commend the team at PAJ and JAMVAC who have been working to get the Port Antonio cruise industry back on track.”

The tourism minister underscored that given this upward trajectory, he and his team at the Ministry of Tourism were thrilled about the future of cruise in the parish. In keeping with this, Minister Bartlett suggested that plans are afoot to seriously incorporate Navy Island into Portland’s tourism product. However, he cautioned that additional details would become available at the opportune time.

Notwithstanding this, some residents in attendance at the public consultation meeting raised concerns about the pace at which cruise ships were returning to the Ken Wright Pier. In addressing these concerns, Port Manager, Donna Samuda-Wilson said, “Port Antonio only accommodates boutique vessels which means that they can go to every other destination, making it very competitive to get them into Port Antonio. Our cruise season runs from October to March, so it’s not going to be all year round. Before COVID, we were not getting more than six vessels and last winter we had twelve. So, I think we’re doing very well.”

Minister Bartlett further noted that with Port Antonio’s natural beauty and the development presently taking place, it will easily become a preferred port of call for cruise ships.

“The government is channelling significant investments into transforming the eastern end of the island. That’s why the Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS) is so important. We are preparing the public and stakeholders to all play their parts in bringing together a unique and profitable tourism experience for the people of Portland as well as visitors,” added the tourism minister.

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, June 26, 2023: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island over the weekend to join regional representatives at the 68th World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas Meeting (CAM) & Seminar On Sustainable Investments being held in Ecuador’s capital city Quito from Tuesday, June 27 to Wednesday, June 28.

The UNWTO Regional Commissions normally meet once a year to allow member states to maintain ‎contact with each other and with the Secretariat between sessions of the bi-annual General ‎Assembly. The CAM will take the form of panels, presentations and seminars exploring tourism investment trends and opportunities in the Americas. A key highlight will be the Seminar on Sustainable Investments: A Strategy Towards Competitiveness, focused on promoting investments through technical cooperation, building capacity for tourism development and accessing financing that accelerates climate resilience in the regional tourism sector.

“On the back of impressive results recorded in 2022 when more than 900 million tourists travelled internationally, the sector continues to experience a strong rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. However, foreign direct investments have remained low globally. This regional meeting is geared at promoting strategic investments and competitiveness in the Caribbean and the Americas. This is aligned with Jamaica’s growth trajectory targeting 20,000 new rooms over the next five years,” added the tourism minister.

The seminar will offer Minister Bartlett the opportunity to network with his colleagues and investors as well as share knowledge, insights and best practices. Additionally, the CAM will feature nominations and elections of regional representatives to the executive council and its subsidiary bodies.

The tourism minister is being accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Jennifer Griffith.

Minister Bartlett will return to the island on Friday, June 30. 

Kingston, Jamaica; Friday, June 23, 2023: With the tourism sector grappling with staffing challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) is proposing a strategy for attracting new recruits and preparing them for available jobs in the tourism industry.

In delivering the 2023/24 Sectoral Debate closing presentation on Tuesday (June 20), Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said, “The tourism sector continues to be hampered by the challenges of finding adequate staffing as a result of thousands of workers opting not to return to the industry post-pandemic. With support from partners, the JCTI is moving to recruit team members from among students graduating from high school in June and July 2023.”

Furthermore, Minister Bartlett revealed that the JCTI, which is a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), has asked the HEART/NSTA Trust to develop a Job Readiness Programme specifically for new entrants to the tourism sector. Successful candidates will receive an NCTVET certificate.

“I think that it is also important to note that for the first time, we have an associate degree in hotel management and customer service for the sixth formers of over 30 high schools in Jamaica. The goal is to attract 2,000 to 3,000 new recruits to the industry,” stressed the tourism minister.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, June 22, 2023: Through the innovative Agri-Linkages Exchange (ALEX) online platform, facilitated by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), small farmers across Jamaica have been directly connected to buyers in the tourism industry, which has earned them over $300 million in revenue as of May 2023. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett made the announcement in his 2023 Sectoral Debate closing presentation earlier this week.

“In the first five months of this year, farmers achieved a remarkable milestone by generating a revenue of approximately $325 million through the ALEX platform. This significant accomplishment showcases the platform's effectiveness in connecting farmers with potential buyers and creating prosperous opportunities,” said the tourism minister.

Minister Bartlett further noted that the ALEX portal, which was established through a joint initiative between the TEF and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), is poised to surpass the figures recorded in 2022 when it facilitated the sale of over $330 million worth of agricultural produce. He continued that: “This achievement not only highlights the platform's success but also underscores the positive impact it has had on the livelihoods of 1,733 farmers and 671 registered buyers.”

In acknowledging the crucial role agriculture plays in supporting tourism, Minister Bartlett commented on the progress made through the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the TEF, to engage farmers in identifying some of the barriers like water shortage and drought periods that affect their ability to supply the tourism sector. 

“To address these challenges, we donated 50 water tanks to farmers in St. Elizabeth, 20 tanks to farmers in St. James and 200 tanks were donated to farmers in St. Ann and Trelawny. We will continue this initiative in 2023 to support more small farmers, while spreading the benefits from tourism,” Minister Bartlett stated.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, June 22, 2023: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that stakeholder consultations for the Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy (DAFS) are nearing completion as the Ministry moves to bring the document before Parliament in the current fiscal year.

Minister Bartlett made the announcement during his Sectoral Debate closing presentation earlier this week. He said: “We have undertaken stakeholder consultations with the aim of finalizing the Destination Assurance Framework and Strategy as a White Paper for tabling in Parliament in the current Financial Year. The stakeholder engagements are 95 per cent complete with six town hall meetings already being held in Negril, Montego Bay, Ocho Rios, Treasure Beach, Mandeville and Kingston.”

The DAFS comprises tourism strategies that will enable Jamaica to deliver on the brand promise to its visitors of a safe, secure and seamless visit, which is respectful to the community and environment. It has been approved by Cabinet as a Green Paper and the last round of consultations before it is finalized as a White Paper will continue in St. Thomas today (June 22) and Portland on June 23. 

The tourism minister also highlighted several other policy initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry to boost resilience and sustainability in the sector. Among these are the revision of the National Community Tourism Policy and Strategy, the development of the Water Sports Policy and the revision of the Tourism Linkages Networks Policy, to be retitled the Tourism Linkages Network Policy and Action Plan.

Additionally, Minister Bartlett emphasized the progress that has been made in the development of the Tourism Strategy and Action Plan which is being executed with the technical support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

He said: “The strategy addresses the important issues of economic growth and inclusion, environmental sustainability, cultural preservation, human capital development, and maintaining balance between the quality of the visitor experience and the quality of life of our citizens.”

“We have begun a series of island wide workshops to obtain valuable feedback and insights that will help shape the direction of future tourism initiatives. We have already held successful workshops in Montego Bay and Port Antonio with consultations currently underway in Ocho Rios.  Workshops in other resort destinations will take place between now and September,” Minister Bartlett continued.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, June 21, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that as Jamaica heads into what is expected to be its best summer tourist season ever, the island has already welcomed two million stopover and cruise visitors since the start of the year.

Speaking yesterday (June 20) during his Sectoral Debate closing presentation in the House of Representatives, the tourism minister provided important data to support the historic post-pandemic strides being made in the tourism sector.

“Already before even completing the first six months of this year we have already received a combined 2 million stopover and cruise visitors with record earnings of US$2 billion, a whopping 18% above the 2019 earnings for the same time period. It should be no surprise then that Jamaica is bracing for the best summer tourist season ever,” Minister Bartlett said.

“Jamaica welcomed approximately 3.3 million visitors in 2022 and registered a remarkable US$3.7 billion recovery of earnings compared to the pre-COVID earnings of 2019. Jamaica is also experiencing a rise in summer 2023 air travel bookings by 33% as compared to summer 2022 according to data provided by one of the world’s leading travel data analytics firms, ForwardKeys,” stated Minister Bartlett.

The tourism minister also gave a brief overview of his recent trip to the United States where he engaged with key partners such as representatives from the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and forged a partnership agreement between the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and George Washington University. Minister Bartlett added: “Our U.S. engagements included a series of meetings and discussions with leading tourism stakeholders in the airline, cruise and tour operator sub-sectors including Delta Airlines, Royal Caribbean Group and Expedia. These meetings confirmed that we are certainly on track to record the best summer in our history, especially considering the visitors coming from America.”

Jamaica’s primary source market, the United States, represents 1.2 million of the 1.4 million seats that have been secured for the upcoming summer travel season, representing a 16% increase over the island’s previous best, recorded in 2019.

Kingston, Jamaica; Wednesday, June 21, 2023: The Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has completed the first phase of renovation works being undertaken at the Vin Lawrence Park in Trench Town, Kingston. Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett made the disclosure during his Sectoral Debate closing presentation in the House of Representatives yesterday (June 20).

Minister Bartlett said: “The Vin Lawrence Park, once an underutilized space, has been revitalized to become a hub of cultural immersion and discovery. This transformation goes beyond the physical enhancements: It represents a celebration of Trench Town’s history, creativity, and resilience. Visitors will have the opportunity to delve into the heart and soul of this community, experiencing its music, art, cuisine, and captivating stories first-hand.”

In addition, the tourism minister shared that the ambitious venture, valued at JM$25 million, was completed within budget and on time. He added that the renovation project, which includes the construction of a wheelchair-accessible entertainment centre and performance stage, has the potential to position Trench Town as a more vibrant tourist destination, rich in culture and artistic expression.

Minister Bartlett continued: “The renovated park boasts a range of amenities to include a cutting-edge recording studio and rehearsal room, which will offer a professional environment for musicians and aspiring artists to create and record their music – preserving the rich musical legacy of the area. As visitors wander through the park’s pathways, they will be treated to vibrant murals depicting iconic figures, such as Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. These larger-than-life artworks pay homage to the rich musical legacy that was born in this very community.”

Regarding this, the tourism minister underscored TPDCo’s strategic focus on community tourism and developing non-traditional elements of the tourism product.

He stressed that investments in community tourism have a far-reaching and positive impact on sustainable economic growth, job creation and the preservation of Jamaica’s cultural heritage.

“As we look to the future, we envision the Vin Lawrence Park becoming a symbol of hope and transformation for Trench Town. The influx of visitors will attract promises to inject life into the local economy, support small businesses, and foster a sense of pride among community members,” asserted Minister Bartlett.