KINGSTON, JAMAICA; February 16, 2023: The need to ensure the resilience of tourism, given its importance as a key driver of economic growth, has been highlighted by Former Prime Minister and Statesman-in-Residence at the PJ Patterson Institute for Africa-Caribbean Advocacy, University of the West Indies (UWI), The Most Hon. Percival James Patterson.

The former Prime Minister, who among other portfolio responsibilities also served as Minister of Tourism, was keynote speaker at today’s opening session of the African Caribbean Tourism Summit at the inaugural Global Tourism Resilience Conference, being held at the UWI Regional Headquarters, Mona.

Mr. Patterson highlighted opportunities arising from the industry and the importance of building on the historical link between the Caribbean and the African Diaspora. Mindful of the era pre and post the COVID-19 pandemic, he said there was absolutely no doubt to the urgency of pushing forward with mobilising the African and Caribbean Diaspora in the fields of trade, investment, science, sport, culture and entertainment.

In that regard, Mr. Patterson said “to find lasting economic solutions we must look to one of the key drivers of growth, tourism, and we must do so across Africa, the entire continent, and in the Caribbean.”

With the decline of most traditional crops in Africa and the Caribbean, “tourism has become, for most of us, the cornerstone on which we are endeavouring to build sound economies (and) given its magnetic link to agriculture, to manufacturing and the inseparable connections with the creative industries, entertainment and services, tourism has become the pillar on which sustainable growth and accelerated development must now depend,” noted Mr. Patterson.

He also noted that African countries possessed varied appeals. Mr. Patterson outlined that with proper planning and effective marketing there would be a growing demand to visit African destinations and this could benefit the Caribbean through shared vacations and with the creation of a fertile ground for people-to-people contact and increasing airlift and charter flights between both regions.

He posited that the strengthening of South-South collaboration for growth in tourism rested on the two inextricably linked pillars of training and technology. With the pandemic having put greater pressure on the tourism sector with the loss of workers, Mr. Patterson stressed that “the skillsets needed to push the industry forward require training quickly and intensively.” He indicated that this was an area in which Jamaica and the Caribbean could offer support to African countries now building and expanding their tourism industry.

While sharing similar concerns, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett noted the serious damage inflicted by the pandemic on Africa adding that with the continent looking to tourism to drive recovery, the Caribbean was in a position to help.

“They are the new frontier for they are learning the art of entertainment and utilizing the culture to add value to their economic well-being, and the Caribbean can help,” stated Mr. Bartlett. He said: “We can also be the bridge head to the richest and most lucrative market for tourism in the world, North America.”

The historic Global Tourism Resilience Conference is being attended by several tourism ministers from African and Caribbean countries and Minister Bartlett, who co-chairs the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, said the Caribbean partners should use the conference “as a platform for the beginning of that convergence that will bring Africa and the Caribbean together to move into the market that they want.”

He noted, however, that while Africa was open to receiving more, the Caribbean also had the capacity to receive even more from Africa and the conference would explore how there could be a full interchange and create areas of convergence in various aspects of tourism activities.

GTRCMC to Develop Resilience Barometer -  Bartlett                     

KINGSTON, JAMAICA; February 15, 2023: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness has underscored the need to strengthen linkages between tourism and other sectors to enhance the resilience of tourism and boost economic growth globally.

The Prime Minister said: “Tourism acts as a catalyst for economic growth and development mainly through its induced economic impact through the creation of vital linkages with several other segments of national economies… As part of building the sustainable and resilient tourism which we all want, these linkages must be strengthened and the net value added to local economies from tourism enhanced.”

The Prime Minister was giving the keynote address at today’s opening of the three-day Global Tourism Resilience Conference being hosted by Jamaica at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston. His comments come even as Jamaica continues to lead the charge through the work of the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), which has been strengthening tourism linkages across Jamaica.

He told his international audience of Ministers of Tourism, senior executives in the industry and sector partners that: “Given its tremendous global contribution, there is a clear case to be made for the tourism sector to be protected as a global asset.”

Mr. Holness drew attention to the fact that: “The sector is increasingly exposed to volatility and disruptions arising from a range of both traditional and non-traditional threats, including natural disasters, climate change and global warming, terrorism, insecurity and political instability, cyber vulnerabilities, economic recession, epidemics and pandemics; indeed, tourism is affected by almost every global shock.”

Boosting the resilience of the sector is a major thrust of the conference, which is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC).

According to Prime Minister Holness, “the Government of Jamaica is proud to endorse this crucial forum that will provide a platform for fruitful engagement among stakeholders, policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, scholars, and researchers from all fields.”

Prime Minister Holness stated that the COVID-19 pandemic had underscored the importance of a proactive, cross-cutting approach to building resilience across the entire tourism value chain. “This entails integrating the latest research findings, innovations and technology to create sustainable tourism practices. It requires a shift to more sustainable consumption, production and energy use practices,” he said.

Meanwhile, speaking in a fireside chat with Peter Greenberg of CBS News, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett revealed that the GTRCMC will be developing “a resilience barometer” to be able to measure the level of resilience of countries, organizations and companies. “This is very important because that’s going to give valuable information for huge management decision-making, also for investment decisions,” he said. It will also be relevant to tourists, providing information on when to travel and where to travel and how to prepare themselves for their intended destinations.

Minister Bartlett explained that developing the barometer was a big task and a lot of work had already gone into it “but we have to do much more and we need to get a lot of help also from some of our multi-lateral partners because this is not something the university here and us alone can do.” He said experiences will have to be pulled from many parts of the world adding that “we will have to draw on the talent, skills and knowledge as well as data that is now available to get a good sense of what are the key touch points and how do we prepare a document which enables people to follow clearly and to be able to act properly.”

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, February 14, 2023 – The historic, first-of-its-kind Global Tourism Resilience Conference, taking place in Jamaica this February 15-17, 2023 will feature a well-rounded roster of high-profile panelists and moderators who will be participating in the event.

Headlined by the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, the conference is gearing up to showcase some of the best minds on tourism resilience and sustainability, investment and economic development.

Some of the expert speakers include Former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Percival James Patterson, who will be the keynote for the African Caribbean Tourism Summit segment of the conference on February 16.

Kingston, Jamaica; Monday, February 6, 2023: Jamaica’s efforts to bolster resilience in global tourism by proposing the official designation of February 17th as Global Tourism Resilience Day annually has yielded great success, as the United Nations (UN) officially ratified the move to facilitate its observance globally today (February 6).

Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has been a global voice advocating for tourism resilience as a means of safeguarding the sector during times of crises that negatively impact the industry, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

In welcoming the UN’s decision Minister Bartlett said: “This is a signal honour for Jamaica which highlights the fact that our nation continues to have such significant influence on the international stage. This is very timely as the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is still being felt and is causing a strain on many tourism-dependent states as they struggle to recover.”

Minister Bartlett, who made a presentation on Global Tourism Resilience during the UN General Assembly meeting at the UN headquarters in New York today, added that: “Global Tourism Resilience Day emphasizes the importance of building tourism resilience across the world to fuel sustainable growth and development.”

He underscored that “this observance will aid in increasing the awareness and actions of global tourism stakeholders towards boosting the industry’s capacity to effectively handle and recover swiftly from major disruptions, such as pandemics, earthquakes and other natural disasters.”

Minister Bartlett has been playing a leading role in promoting the need for tourism dependent states in particular, to be prepared for inevitable internal and external shocks and to have a body that they can look to for support that will aid them in recovering quickly. To this end he has spearheaded the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and co-authored with University of the West Indies Professor Lloyd Waller, the book: Tourism Resilience and Recovery for Global Sustainability and Development: Navigating COVID-19 and the Future.

The designation follows months of high-level discussions and diplomatic engagements. Minister Bartlett, officially launched Global Tourism Resilience Day during EXPO2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on February 17, 2022. In September 2022 Prime Minister The Most Hon. Andrew Holness also called for the official designation of February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day annually as he addressed the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Jamaica will officially recognize Global Tourism Resilience Day during the first ever Global Tourism Resilience Conference, which will be held from February 15-17, 2023 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica.

While in New York, Mr. Bartlett will also fulfill a packed schedule of high-level tourism marketing and development engagements before returning to the island on Tuesday, February 7, 2023.

MADRID, Spain; January 24, 2023: As part of efforts to capitalize on tourism offerings between Jamaica and Sierra Leone, both countries are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The move is aimed at strengthening tourism cooperation between Jamaica and the historic African nation.

“With the strong historical and cultural association between Jamaica and Sierra Leone, it is strategic to collaborate and strengthen our tourism cooperation. Both countries have a lot to offer in tourism and we can capitalize on this to build out new experiences for our visitors,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett.

The discussions centred around air connectivity; training and development; marketing and promotional activities; cultural exchange; tourism diversification and growth and resilience.

“The pandemic has been the most tangible example of tourism vulnerability to disruptions and so a major area of focus will be resilience and resilience building to ensure the future proofing of the industry. It is critical that we build capacity in tourism to withstand and recover stronger for the next disruption we may encounter,” Minister Bartlett added.

The Sierra Leone delegation, headed by Minister of Tourism, Dr. Memunatu Pratt, also discussed their participation in the upcoming Global Tourism Resilience Conference that will be held in Kingston at the University of the West Indies’ Regional Headquarters from February 15-17, 2023.

“Tourism resilience is now at the heart of the industry’s survival. We must as destinations, exchange ideas and best practices to create the infrastructure to build capacity to detect, respond and recover from these disruptions,” said Minister Bartlett.

Further discussions to finalize the MOU between both countries will be had on the margins of the Global Tourism Resilience Conference.

To register for the conference, you can visit https://cts2023.eventbrite.co.uk

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 23, 2023: Plans are in high gear to strengthen ties between the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and the Development Bank of Latin America (CAF). This follows a meeting with Minister of Tourism and Co-Chair of the GTRCMC, Hon Edmund Bartlett, CAF representatives and other Caribbean Ministers of Tourism, on the margins of the FITUR trade event in Spain.

The discussions centred around capacity building, sustainability and resilience for tourism dependent countries and how the CAF can provide support in these diverse areas.

“Most of the Caribbean remains a highly tourism dependent region that is extremely vulnerable to disruptions like climatic events and pandemics. It is this vulnerability that has caused setbacks in our ability to recover quickly after these disruptions and this is why building resilience is critical for our survival. I am pleased that CAF is interested in supporting the Caribbean and specifically Jamaica’s Global Resilience Centre as part of efforts to build tourism resilience,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Development Bank of Latin America seeks to promote a sustainable development model through credit, non-refundable resources, and support in the technical and financial structuring of projects in the public and private sectors in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“The Centre welcomes additional partnerships and support like this as it will undoubtedly help to accelerate our mandate to assist destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions that impact tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally,” the Minister explained.

“The timing is perfect as the GTRCMC works towards expanding Satellite Centres across the world, research capabilities and training among other project areas,” Minister Bartlett added.

Ministry Officials & Hoteliers Examine Other Pressing Issues

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 23, 2023: As Jamaica’s tourism sector continues to boom, Spanish Hotel and Resort owners, with thousands of rooms in Jamaica highlighted labour, worker housing, agriculture and infrastructure as crucial focus areas for the sustainable growth of the sector in coming years at a breakfast meeting under the Inverotel umbrella, an association representing Spanish Hoteliers and Operators, with Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett and other tourism officials in Spain’s capital city, Madrid on Friday (January 20).

Following the high-level discussions, the Spanish Hoteliers committed to support a major drive to build some 2,000 homes for hotel workers. Owners represented included Grand Palladium, RIU, Secrets, Iberostar, Excellence, H10, Melia and Bahia Principe whilst Director of Tourism, Donovan White and Senior Advisor and Strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright anchored with Minister Bartlett.

“Through Spanish Hoteliers and other Hotel investors combined we are now seeing firm commitments for at least 2,000 new residential units for Hotel workers and their immediate families. This is essential as given the growth trajectory, with thousands of new hotel rooms under construction, we do have a serious and worsening shortage of appropriate housing for tourism workers. The Hoteliers have recognized this and know too that they cannot operate at an optimal level if workers do not have comfortable living arrangements or are too far away from their properties,” Bartlett pointed out.

Discussing extensively human capital development issues, Bartlett reaffirmed that his Ministry and its public bodies have taken a holistic approach with thousands of workers already certified by the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation; many benefiting from housing development projects primarily in conjunction with the Housing Agency of Jamaica, and the now growing Tourism Workers Pension Scheme now on track to reach some 10,000 members during the current winter season, generating over $350 million in savings.

The Hotel owners also delved into labour, global and local supply chain challenges, agriculture and road infrastructure issues.

“As Jamaica develops, we as government must work hand in hand with our local and international private sector partners. So beyond the need for housing, we fully acknowledge too the challenges in sourcing trained labour, traffic congestion along the main corridors especially in and around Lucea, Hopewell, Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Priory and Ocho Rios and continued supply chain logistics challenges that are both local and international in scale impacting construction, supply of food and drinks in hotels and so on,” Bartlett noted.

The Hotel and Resort owners expressed delight at news that several road infrastructure projects are already or near beginning stages and will alleviate traffic congestion issues. This includes the US$274.5 million Montego Bay Perimeter Road Project, a bypass project, which involves the construction of 25 kilometres of roadway and the finalization of a US$800-million agreement with the International Finance Corporation to develop a  new four-lane highway from Rose Hall in Montego Bay, St James, to Mammee Bay, St Ann. The new four-lane highway will, upon completion, bypass congestion-prone spots at Priory, Runaway Bay and Discovery Bay in St Ann.

Bartlett also noted that plans are advanced to construct bypass roads around Hopewell and Lucea in the parish of Hanover. This is of serious concern, Seiveright went on to note given the fact that 4,000 new hotel rooms are to be constructed in Hanover alone in short order.

On the agricultural front, the hoteliers reiterated the need for more locally produced items that can meet the growing and enormous demand of the sector. Bartlett noted the government’s supportiveness to pull in investors from overseas to collaborate and or establish agricultural business initiatives on island, given the huge growth in hotel rooms and subsequent demand in coming years. The hoteliers pledged full support urging international players to invest in Jamaica’s agriculture and agri-business sector.

MADRID, Spain; January 19, 2023:  In a major boost to its operations, the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) and Mastercard have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation on tourism innovation. The signing took place during FITUR, the largest tourism trade fair in Spain, between Co-Chair of the GTRCMC and Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett and Senior Executives of Mastercard.

“The timing of this MOU is relevant as we seek to build resilience globally in tourism. This will help bolster our mandate of generating and converting new ideas into tangible solutions for resilience building. Because it is through new ideas and innovation that we will be able to adapt, respond and thrive after disruptions in the industry,” said Minister Bartlett.

Mastercard, which is the second-largest payment-processing corporation worldwide, has created an innovation hub that works with governments and public sector agencies to accelerate their digitalization efforts, as well as innovate, research, and co-create solutions across the tourism ecosystem.

By working closely with governments, public and private sector agencies, and tourism authorities across the world, the Tourism Innovation Hub is helping to create a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient tourism industry.

Kingston, Jamaica; Thursday, January 19, 2023: Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, will make the headline address at the highly anticipated Global Tourism Resilience Conference being held from February 15-17, 2023 at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica. Holness will address a slew of government ministers from several nation states, policy advisors, international travel stakeholders, academics, executives of several international organizations, international business leaders among other key stakeholders. 

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett in highlighting the significance of the conference noted that: “As we exit the COVID-19 pandemic ‘tourism resilience’ has become the epicentre of national development priorities. While travel and tourism have been traditionally considered one of the most resilient segments of the global economy, it has also proven to be simultaneously and disproportionately prone to shocks, due to the impact of disruptive events on perceptions of destination attractiveness and security.”

He added that: “Such disruptive events include natural disasters, climate change impacts and bio-diversity loss, food insecurity, political instability and conflicts, the threat of terror attacks, cyber-crime and cyber security issues, economic recessions and indeed epidemics and pandemics, as exemplified by the current crisis.”

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), which is in part piloting the conference, continues to work on building tourism resilience in the Americas, Africa and the Middle East. Through their work in these areas, they have recognized the need to consolidate learnings and build tourism resilience strategies to prepare for the next disruption to the travel and tourism space.

Minister Bartlett noted that Jamaica will once again prove itself a pioneer when it launches the first ever Global Tourism Resilience Institute in February. The Institute’s launch will coincide with the observance of Global Tourism Resilience Day on February 17. Executive Director of the GTRCMC, Professor Lloyd Waller, indicated that the Institute will provide several offerings. “We are in the process of establishing an Institute to focus on resilience and not just tourism resilience. We will be offering short certificate courses, diploma courses as well as an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) to provide persons with the skills and knowledge, in terms of methodologies for being resilient,” he stated.

Sustainable Tourism in the Caribbean High on the Agenda

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 17, 2023: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has been invited participate in the series of high-level meetings and events in Spain, aimed at promoting sustainable tourism in the Caribbean. The events have been organized by CAF (Development Bank of Latin America) in alliance with the International Tourism Trade Fair (FITUR), being held in Madrid, Spain, from January 18 to 22, 2023. Minister Bartlett will also meet with several global tourism investors and executives in a bid to further boost the development of the sector.

FITUR, one of the most highly anticipated events on the annual travel trade calendar, is the global meeting point for tourism professionals and the leading trade fair for inbound and outbound markets in Latin America.

CAF officially opened its Regional Office for the Caribbean in September 2022 and is intensifying its support for sustainable development, the climate action agenda and the economic recovery of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This FITUR alliance allows CAL to further deliver on its commitment to provide increased development assistance to Caribbean countries and to facilitate new opportunities for the growth and development of the tourism sector in the region.

“This year's staging of FITUR is critical as tourism destinations seek to fully recover from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Jamaica, the Caribbean and many other regions are rebounding nicely there is still room for significant growth. Events like this, which allow for the exchange of innovative ideas, experiences and best practices, will certainly help to further boost tourism recovery,” said Minister Bartlett.

The series of events in which Minister Bartlett will participate include a reception jointly organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and CAF, where UNWTO Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili and CAF Executive President, Sergio Diaz-Granados will sign an agreement between the two organizations to support Caribbean countries in the development of a sustainable tourism sector. In addition, there will be a round-table discussion with English-speaking Caribbean Ministers of Tourism on: “What role can CAF play to support the development of sustainable tourism?”

While in Spain, Minister Bartlett will meet with key tourism partners as he seeks to promote the destination and encourage further investment in Jamaica’s tourism industry. This includes meetings with Mr. Gabriel Escarrer, CEO of Melia Hotels; Carmen Riu Güell, the owner of the RIU Hotels & Resorts chain as well as representatives of INVEROTEL, an umbrella association representing Spanish hoteliers and operators in Jamaica. He will also meet with executives from Viva Wyndham Resorts; Grupo Puntacana and Mastercard.

Mr. Bartlett pointed out that “Jamaica is top of mind and remains a prime destination for foreign direct investment (FDI).  We are taking advantage of the opportunities provided by FITUR to strengthen ties with existing partners while exploring  new investment opportunities for Jamaica, which will help us to build on our current successes.”

Minister Bartlett left the island today, Tuesday, January 17 and is set to return on Sunday, January 29, 2023.