KINGSTON, Jamaica, Wednesday, November 2, 2022: As Jamaica seeks to reconnect with travellers and strengthen its tourism brand in the global market,  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett and a team of high-level tourism officials left the island today for the New York media launch of the Jamaica Tourist Board’s new “Come Back” global marketing campaign.

“The JTB continues to do an excellent job marketing Jamaica around the world and this new campaign will heighten Brand Jamaica’s profile in the global tourism space,” noted Minister Bartlett.  While in New York, the tourism minister will be interviewed by major national media outlets, including Travel + Leisure Magazine, WPIX-11 Morning News, USA Today and Travel Market Report among others.

From New York, Minister Bartlett will travel to England on Saturday, November 5, to participate in the annual World Travel Market (WTM) London, which will showcase the offerings from the biggest travel destinations, accommodation suppliers, airlines and tour operators. The occasion will be leveraged for the London media launch of JTB’s “Come Back” marketing campaign.

Scheduled to take place November 7-9 at the ExCel exhibition and convention centre, WTM London is the world’s leading platform for the global travel industry, providing networking, business and idea-generating opportunities to all players in the travel industry.

Commenting on his participation at the event, Minister Bartlett expressed that he is “looking forward to the networking and learning opportunities that will come from an event filled with a vast selection of travel professionals and experts”, adding that “it is also an excellent platform to promote brand Jamaica and its tourism product”.

While in London, Minister Bartlett has been invited to speak at the Global Tourism Investment Summit, which is being hosted by the  International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC) in partnership with WTM London under the theme ‘Rethinking Investment In Tourism Through Sustainability And Resilience.’

The summit will cast new perspectives and insights on the recovery of the global tourism industry and will be attended by leading voices, ministers, luminaries, policymakers and investors, including Hon. Philda Kereng, Minister of Environment & Tourism of Botswana; Hon. Elena Kountoura, Member of European Parliament; Mark Beer, OBE. Chairman of Metis Institute; Hon. Memunatu B. Pratt, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Sierra Leone; Professor Ian Goldin, University of Oxford just to name a few.

Minister Bartlett will return to the island on November 10, 2022.

Commits to Continued Support of the JHTA

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Monday, October 31, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has lauded the newly-elected President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), hotelier Robin Russell, and Immediate Past President Clifton Reader for their strong support of initiatives behind the successful recovery of the tourism industry from the devastating fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the same time, Minister Bartlett has committed the continued support of his ministry to the JHTA. Speaking on the heels of yesterday’s JHTA Annual General Meeting at the Hilton Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Mr. Bartlett expressed his “deepest and strongest appreciation” to the newly-elected president. He stated that Mr. Russell, who is the proprietor of Deja Resort in Montego Bay, has been a long-standing entrepreneur and has done exceptionally well in the industry.

“He has also championed the cause of the industry as chairman of the Montego Bay Chapter (of the JHTA) and has gained the respect and the admiration of his peers to the extent of being now elevated to president of this very prestigious organization,” Minister Bartlett noted.

He further stated that “the government and the Ministry of Tourism wish to embrace his election and to offer him the fullest support so that he can succeed as the others have before him, and in his own way make his mark and excel in the way that we know he is quite capable.”

“We look forward to working with you and the rest of the team as together we complete this recovery stronger and better,” the tourism minister committed.

Turning his attention to Mr. Reader, Minister Bartlett thanked him “for the truly outstanding job he did as president during the most difficult period in the history of tourism in Jamaica and arguably the world.”

Mr. Reader, who served consecutive terms as president, was a critical partner along with the JHTA in the creation of a Resilient Corridor and implementation of health and safety protocols for the sector developed by the Ministry of Tourism in conjunction with the Ministry of Health & Wellness. “The recovery that Jamaica has been able to achieve is in no small measure attributable to Clifton Reader’s leadership in the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association during the period,” declared Mr. Bartlett.

He further commended Mr. Reader, stating that “his tenacity, assiduity to duty, his knowledge of the industry and his willingness to share thoughts and consult, and to really walk with a team has really made him a truly remarkable player during the difficult two and a half years of COVID-19 in Jamaica.”

Mr. Reader was thanked publicly “for the excellent work that he did” and wished well in his new capacity as he takes on new leadership in his organization – that of vice president of Palace Resorts Jamaica.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 25, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is slated to share insights on ways to boost the resilience and sustainability of the global tourism industry, during a series of high-level international discussions and meetings with international tourism partners, when he attends the much anticipated ‘A World for Travel’ tourism forum.

Minister Bartlett left the island today (October 25) for Nimes, France, to attend the prestigious event, where he will join fellow industry leaders in discussions on sustainable travel, which will entail case studies and targeted sessions throughout the two-day conference.   

He is slated to take part in a press conference which will examine the issue: “Transforming the Travel Industry – Destination by Destination/Supplier by Supplier” as well as a panel discussion on the theme: “Driving Sustainability and Preparedness Through Academic Rigor” on Thursday, October 27. The Minister will also partake in a fireside chat exploring global initiatives on travel.

Minister Bartlett explained that he is anticipating conversations on “how key players in the global tourism industry can work together to transform it sustainably as the event promises to ensure thought leadership that delivers ‘the how’ and ‘the what’ in sustainability.” 

A World for Travel is expected to have up to 400 C-level travel and travel-related private and public sector players in attendance. 

Commenting on his planned involvement in the event, Minister Bartlett expressed that he is “looking forward to the networking and learning opportunities that will come from an event filled with a vast selection of travel professionals, leaders and experts,” adding that “it will also serve as an excellent platform to promote brand Jamaica and our tourism product.”

Minister Bartlett will return to the island on October 30, 2022.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 10, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett is set to participate in several high-level meetings with major players in the cruise tourism industry as he attends the 28th Annual Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Cruise Conference, which will be held in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic, from October 11-14, 2022.

Minister Bartlett expressed that “cruise tourism is a fast-growing component of the tourism industry” and that he is looking forward to the takeaways from the conference. He also noted that “the event is timely as the cruise industry is experiencing a strong recovery after being at a standstill for some time due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Speaking to the interaction and networking opportunities that the conference will provide, Mr. Bartlett said, “it will serve to bolster existing partnerships and establish solid networks that should lead to profitable opportunities for Jamaica’s post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery,” and “place us in a better position to capitalize on cruise tourism moving forward.”

The tourism minister has always stressed that cruise tourism is an integral part of Jamaica’s tourism product and an important driver in terms of visitor arrivals and expenditure.

While at the conference, Minister Bartlett will meet with various cruise executives, including Josh Weinstein, President & CEO and Chief Climate Officer, Carnival Corporation; Christine Duffy, President, Carnival Cruise Line; John Padgett, President, Princess Cruises; Michele M. Paige, CEO, FCAA; Richard Sasso, Chairman, MSC Cruises; Howard Sherman, President & CEO, Oceania Cruises; and Michael Bayley, President & CEO, Royal Caribbean International.

The FCAA Cruise Conference is the largest cruise convention and trade show in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and South America. It is expected to be attended by over 60 cruise executives from more than 40 countries globally, as well as more than 500 representatives from various parts of the world.

The conference will feature a series of meetings and workshops covering topics such as Operating in a Post-Pandemic World and The New Reality of Shore Excursion Operations: Challenges and Opportunities, which are open to all Conference attendees.

Minister Bartlett leaves the island on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, and returns on Friday, October 14, 2022.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 5, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has called on Jamaicans to embrace a culture of delivering excellent customer service, noting that it is the driving force behind successful businesses and industries globally.

Mr. Bartlett was giving the Opening Address at the Jamaica Customer Service Association’s (JaCSA) Virtual Service Excellence Conference today (October 5, 2022). The Minister spoke on the topic: “A Culture of Care: Catalyst to Jamaica’s Global Tourism Achievements.”

In underscoring the importance of good customer service to the growth of any business, Mr. Bartlett stressed that “the only way for any business or industry to thrive is by meeting and exceeding customer expectations through service excellence. However, I will take it a step further.  The only way for a nation and its people to advance is through a society-wide commitment to a culture of service excellence.”

He added that: “Excellence and only excellence will drive every facet of society, economy, industry, education, healthcare and tourism.”

The Tourism Minister also emphasised that service excellence was critical to the steady recovery of the island’s tourism sector and economy overall. “Our commitment to service excellence has enabled our tourism sector to bounce back much faster than initially predicted. So, by extension it has also helped to drive the recovery of the national economy,” he said.

Minister Bartlett stressed that “although our tourism product is recognized as among the finest in the world, it is our ability to consistently deliver excellent service and a quality product that sets us apart from the competition. It is the reason for our enviable 42% repeat visitor rate.”

In the same breath he challenged stakeholders to go above and beyond regarding good customer service, adding that this is how they will realize the true capacity of their businesses. He said “if service excellence is the primary driver of tourism’s profitability and growth; if it is the key differentiator in business then our service processes must exceed visitor expectations. This is the only way for the industry to realize its full potential and for stakeholders to reap its benefits.”

Mr. Bartlett also stressed that “if service excellence is the bedrock of our tourism sector, and tourism is the engine of the national economy, then we must pull out all the stops to ensure that we create a culture of care that ensures our beautiful island retains its position as a globally competitive destination of choice.”

In reminding the Conference that “tourism is everyone’s business,” Minister Bartlett expressed that “while the partnership between Government and industry stakeholders is central to sustained growth, we need the buy-in from all Jamaicans if we are to ensure that the quality, standards and integrity of our tourism product are maintained,” adding that “this buy-in is crucial, because, ultimately, when tourism wins then we all win.”

The Conference, in its 19^th staging this year, is expected to attract an audience of over 1,500 persons in Jamaica, the Diaspora and throughout the Caribbean. In 2008, JaCSA was instrumental in having Former Governor General, Professor Kenneth Hall declare the first full week of October annually as National Customer Service Week (NCSW). This year JaCSA is celebrating NCSW from October 2-8, under the theme “Celebrating Service Excellence: Reigniting a Culture of Care.”

Destination Welcomed Over 5 million Visitors in the same period

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO, October 3, 2022 – Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund has announced that Jamaica has earned US 5.7 billion since reopening its borders in June 2020. The data also shows that the island welcomed over five million visitors over the same period. The announcement follows the destination’s strong tourism recovery efforts that saw its best summer ever according to arrivals figures.

For the summer period, the island recorded over 224 thousand stopover arrivals in June while 2019 June figures show 222 thousand arrivals.

“These phenomenal earnings and arrivals figures are truly a testament to the hard work of my Ministry, its public bodies and our many stakeholders and partners. Through our thought leadership, Jamaica was able to reopen its borders at the height of the pandemic and remain open to allow visitors to travel to the island safely and seamlessly.

This strong recovery is happening even amidst the disruptions that the pandemic is causing in the airline industry with flight cancellations and supply chain disruptions,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett.

The Minister made the announcement at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Travel Marketplace, in San Juan Puerto Rico, where he is participating in the private-public partnership panel to discuss intra-Caribbean air connectivity, multi-destination marketing, and public policies for labour and employment among other industry business matters.

Since reopening in June 2020, the island welcomed approximately five million one hundred and seventy-three thousand visitors which include stop over arrivals and cruise passengers.

“Tourism is a key driver in the overall economic recovery for Jamaica and these numbers augur well for the economy, lives and livelihoods. To have already earned US5.7 billion is huge given the major fallout from the pandemic,” added Minister Bartlett.

The island was one of the first destinations to reopen amidst the global coronavirus pandemic through its robust health and safety protocols and World Travel and Tourism Council approved resilient corridors. These innovative approaches allowed for the safe reopening of borders and travel and tourism activities.

“These numbers validate the hard work of our team and prove that our ideas and innovation are successful. We will continue our efforts to recover stronger as we work to surpass our 2019 achievements,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Jamaica.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, Monday, October 3, 2022: Entrepreneurs with an interest in the tourism industry have been urged not to limit themselves but be open to exploring the limitless opportunities that present themselves for profitable investment.

Three experts in tourism promotion laid out a slate of new ideas that could be adopted at a recent Tourism Opportunities Visionary Symposium hosted by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) at the Half Moon Hotel, Montego Bay, and online as part of the Ministry of Tourism’s annual Tourism Awareness Week activities.

Award-winning American travel writer, world travel expert and travel trends futurist, Doug Lansky; globetrotter and travel influencer Scott Eddy and President of the Caribbean Maritime University, Professor Andrew Spencer outlined that tourism today is open to innovation and the economic potential of a range of non-traditional attractions.

With the theme for Tourism Awareness Week being “Rethinking Tourism,” Lansky said, “When we start rethinking tourism it means that we need to redefine what success means.” He also stressed the importance of destination management and assurance in delivering what is promised.

Lansky advised, however, that “We need to think long term; if you’re a property, a stakeholder, you need to think beyond what’s the trend that’s going to be over in another three or four months. You need to think big picture.”

Professor Spencer, a former Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), posited that “the future of Caribbean tourism will be dependent on how successfully the Caribbean region can adapt post-pandemic,” adding, “the region will either exploit the opportunities within the chaos or perish.”

He argued that for a successful re-emergence of the tourism industry there needs to be continuation of growth but this will require efforts of amalgamation by stakeholders in areas such as tourism operations and crisis and product management, among others.

Given the dynamic nature of travel trends, Professor Spencer noted that in the midst of the pandemic travellers shifted their desires to suit conditions and current trends, with potential influence on the Jamaican tourism landscape, including: the health and safety-conscious traveller, the experienced/immersive traveller, the nomadic lifestyle, the domestic traveller and the tech-savvy traveller.

In the process of rethinking tourism, Professor Spencer highlighted four areas that should be considered priority. First, health and safety should be at the core of destination marketing and tourism operations; second,  diversification of tourism products and carving out new niche markets should be a priority for sustainable tourism in Jamaica post-pandemic. The third area he identified was the creation of crisis management policies and frameworks for resilience in uncertainty while adapting to a digital mindset and investment towards advanced technologies; and fourthly, greater encouragement for inclusivity, sustainability, and collaboration at the multinational and regional level for economic recovery by way of tourism linkages.

According to Eddy, today’s tourism operations should invest heavily into maximising the use of social media. He also expressed the view that the days of large hotel chains were coming to an end and “eventually, they will be replaced by hotels that are not only aesthetically pleasing, unique and authentic, but that also consider the next generation guests.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 3, 2022: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett will today (October 3) join other Caribbean Ministers of Tourism and key industry players from the region in a private-public partnership panel to discuss intra-Caribbean air connectivity, multi-destination marketing, and public policies for labour and employment, among other industry business matters. The panel discussion is one of the signature events of the 40th edition of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) Caribbean Travel Marketplace, being held from October 3-5 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Other panelists include Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Minister of Tourism and Transport, Cayman Islands and Chairman, Caribbean Tourism Organization CTO); Hon. Dr. Ernest Hilaire, Minister of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture & Information, St Lucia; Adam Stewart, Chairman, Sandals Resorts International (SIA) and President, Sandals Foundation; and Brad Dean, CEO, Discover PR.

Mr. Bartlett said, “I look forward to participating in these critical discussions as we prepare for the future of tourism and improve the region’s tourism product” noting also that he anticipates the discussions will provide “useful problem-solving outcomes that will position the region’s tourism industry to be more resilient and in a better position to recover from natural disasters and pandemic-like situations that may face us in the future.”

Meanwhile on Tuesday, October 4, Minster Bartlett will provide updates on Jamaica’s arrivals and airlift as well as a primary focus on tourism resilience, including his support of Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness’ call for the official designation of World Tourism Resilience Day on February 17 annually. Given the recent hurricanes impacting the region, Minister’s advocacy for tourism resilience will be especially topical.

Hundreds of buyers from 26 territories have converged on Puerto Rico for the highly anticipated Caribbean Travel Marketplace, which was last held in person in Nassau in late January 2020, two months before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down borders and travel. The 2021 version last May was virtual.

Minister Bartlett left the island last Sunday, October 2, and is to return on Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

Kingston, Jamaica; September 30, 2022: Jamaica’s tourism sector is set to benefit from an injection of fresh innovative ideas for products and services through the introduction of the much-anticipated Tourism Innovation Incubator, which was launched by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) today (September 30).   

Speaking at the launch event Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett revealed that “this initiative targets young enterprising minds, for whom there are tremendous opportunities for jobs, creative products, and innovative ideas in tourism and hospitality.”

He added that the programme was developed “to nurture new and start-up tourism enterprises that will provide innovative products and ideas to power the Blue Ocean Strategy in order to boost the competitiveness of our sector.”

In simplifying the term “Blue Ocean Strategy” Minister Bartlett explained that it is about “having comparative advantage in the marketplace” adding that “to sustain the industry in the face of increased competition, we must market and promote Jamaica as an unmatched travel option and the Caribbean destination of choice for tourists. This requires us to not only rebuild stronger, but also to focus on our competitive advantages in the tourism value chain.”

He noted too that “it is creating a competitive edge by offering our visitors an experience or product that they can have only in Jamaica, and therefore, we do not have to be concerned with competing with the same things as everyone else vying for the tourist dollar. Our focus will be on developing and promoting things that are authentically Jamaican; maximising cultural and historical authenticity to provide a tourism product that is Jamaican in every way possible.”

Mr. Bartlett added that “tourism is about ideas and creating experiences, experiences that people consume when they visit your destination. So, the more ideas that you have are the greater the opportunities for new experiences and the greater the opportunity for more consumption.”

He explained that the Innovation Incubator was created to change the perception of tourism as a casual worker’s paradise and to appreciate it as a dynamic economic activity of great significance globally.

As part of the initiative the TEF's Research and Risk Management Department (RRMD) has collaborated with the University of Technology/Technology Innovation Centre and the Founder Institute to launch an Innovation Challenge as a pilot of the core Tourism Innovation Incubator process.

It was outlined that in this challenge, the Tourism Incubator will seek to find 25 innovative ideas then set the potential entrepreneurs who came up with these concepts on a commercial path through a challenge similar to the very popular Shark Tank on cable TV.

Minister Bartlett explained that the “selection of the ideas is being done by a committee of members from TEF and the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), and in addition to being tourism products or representing technology in tourism, each idea must be an innovation or invention that will add value and must be significant to the tourism industry.”

Of note the Lead Applicant must be a Jamaican Citizen residing in Jamaica for the last 3-5 years and must be 18 years or older by the submission deadline.

Upon making the final selection of candidates, the incubator will offer numerous services, including executing workshops with participants in the refining of their ideas; providing research support; training in pitch delivery; providing opportunities for mentorship and networking; teaching participants about key topics such as intellectual property and the importance of being formalized through informational sessions and sourcing potential partners or investors to help participants in prototype and product development.

Additional submission criteria for the Tourism Innovation Incubator can be found on TEF’s website at https://tef.gov.jm/tourism-incubator/

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; September 29, 2022: Secondary and tertiary level students from across the island received well needed information on the many opportunities available in the tourism sector during an engaging Tourism Awareness Week Youth Forum, held yesterday (September 28) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James. Many voiced their support for tourism and have indicated their desire to become more involved in the process of - “Rethinking Tourism,” which is the theme for the week.

The Youth Forum was organised as part of a series of activities to celebrate Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2022, which runs from September 25 – October 1. Delegations from some 17 Tourism Action Clubs from schools across the island gathered for the occasion, supported by a number of industry stakeholders for an interactive event in which they held sway in one of three panel discussions, voicing their thoughts on: “The Tourism We Want: Youth Response.”

The very outspoken and insightful panelists included Junior Minister of Tourism, Sanecia Taylor; winner of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Tourism Essay competition, Theondra Hamilton and Secretary of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Tourism Society, Britanie Hanson, with Xavier McFarlane as moderator.

The other panel discussions explored: “Opportunities for Non-Traditional Careers in the Tourist Industry” with Director of the Tourism Linkages Network, Carolyn McDonald-Riley and entrepreneur Ashley Rousseau, moderated by Joel Nomdarkham, and: “New Vision: Adapting to Change while Remaining Authentic” with presentations by Kris DaCosta, Digital Marketing Manager, JTB; Fabian Brown, Director, Internal Organization and Corporate Social Responsibility, Bahia Principe and Tourism Entrepreneur and popular recording artiste, Jeffrey “Agent Sacco” Campbell.

With a number of suggestions being raised by the young people, Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Dr. Carey Wallace said he was very pleased with the turnout of Tourism Action Clubs. “I was impressed by the brilliance of the answers and their commitment to sustainable tourism,” he said underscoring that it was “important to engage that generation.”

He believes a forum of that nature served to unlock the ideas of the young people and give them greater insights into the numerous traditional and nontraditional opportunities in what has become the world’s leading industry and “can give them a good quality of life.”

Dr. Wallace said: “We believe that we need to have more tourism entrepreneurs coming out from among our own people, as well as more tourism managers, team members, culinary experts as there are so many opportunities.” He felt that the average Jamaican still saw tourism opportunities as a bartender or housekeeper, “not knowing that there are so many more business opportunities that the industry generates.”

His views were supported by Mrs. McDonald-Riley who stressed the need for professionals who are benefitting directly from the tourism sector to share their success stories, so that young persons can be inspired to enter areas that are profitable.

Dr. Wallace added that for an industry generating US$4.2 billion in earnings, “surely there are opportunities or us Jamaicans to be benefitting from it” and the large portion which goes into making overseas purchases, “we believe can be substituted by local products, local services and local talent.” He underscored that TEF’s Linkages Network was working to build out local capacity in these areas “to form bridges between the productive sector and tourism.”