LONDON, United Kingdom, November 8, 2022 – On the heels of the destination welcoming 2 million stopover arrivals last month, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that the United Kingdom (UK), is the fastest growing recovery market for the island. Speaking yesterday at the launch of the new advertising campaign dubbed ‘Come Back’, Minister Bartlett said the market was trending ahead of 2019 figures.

“In 2019, we did 225,000 visitors and right now we are trending to make in excess of 230,000 visitors and earn 326 million pounds. This means the market is set to earn ten percent more than 2019 when we earned 295 million pounds.

So, the UK market is good, and we are happy for that, and I would like to thank the team, lead by our Regional Director, Elizabeth Fox, for helping our recovery efforts greatly,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister was speaking to travel agents and participants at World Travel Market in London, one of the largest travel and tourism shows in the world, with approximately 5,000 exhibitors from 182 countries and regions and more than 51,000 participants.

“The growth we are seeing is phenomenal and is being reflected in both arrivals and earnings and is taking us into 2023 with a strong destination position,” added Minister Bartlett.

“We could not be more pleased to highlight this positive milestone for this important market for the destination. It speaks to the dedication and hard work of our team here in the UK,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Jamaica.

Created by the Jamaica Tourist Board’s advertising agency, Accenture Song, the campaign showcases Jamaica’s picturesque natural attractions and its friendly, welcoming people working together to help visitors live their best lives

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, Sunday, November 6, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has showered commendations on the Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), Adam Stewart, on the latest honour bestowed upon him by the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona.

The SRI Chairman was conferred with as Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, for his work as an entrepreneur and philanthropist at yesterday’s (November 5) UWI, Mona graduation ceremony.

Minister Bartlett, who sent his commendations to Dr. Stewart from London where he has gone to participate in the annual World Travel Market (WTM,) said, “I could not let such an important event pass without expressing how profoundly pleased I am for Dr. Adam Stewart and offer my congratulations to this young champion of Caribbean Tourism.”

Minister Bartlett said Dr. Stewart and Sandals “have played a pivotal role in enhancing hotel development and tourism growth in Jamaica, his homeland, and throughout the Caribbean. Not only has he so ably carried the mantle passed on by his late father, Hon. Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, but he has been taking the leading hotel chain in the Caribbean to even greater heights.”

Mr. Bartlett noted that Dr. Stewart had brought to bear on Sandals a level of innovation that has made it stand out not just in the Caribbean but internationally in the world of tourism.

Dr. Stewart serves as Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Council of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, a public body of the Ministry of Tourism, a major driver of the local industry, and Minister Bartlett has pointed to “the yeoman’s service he has been giving in that capacity as a shining example of the outstanding benefits that can accrue to the country through public-private sector partnerships.”

New York, NY, November 4, 2022 – As the destination continues its strong tourism recovery, Jamaica has welcomed over 2 million stopover arrivals for 2022 as of October in line with previous projections.
 
“It is truly gratifying to see our arrivals numbers returning to growth in recent months,” said Minister of Tourism, Jamaica, the Hon. Edmund Bartlett. “Having posted our best summer ever on record in 2022 and with arrivals now pacing well through fall, it is a clear demonstration that Jamaica’s tourism sector is indeed resilient and has a lasting appeal among consumers. While we are a small nation compared to many others in the world, our naturally beautiful landscape, unique culture, and variety of attractions and accommodations keep Jamaica at the top of travelers’ preferred places to visit.”
 
“We are extremely pleased to be among the destinations leading the world in tourism recovery,” added Director of Tourism, Jamaica Tourist Board, Donovan White. “Since reopening in June 2020, we have been making a strong marketing push to ensure that Jamaica remains top of mind among our traditional and emerging source markets. Reaching this new milestone for 2022 is a testament to the success of our efforts and excellent relationships with our travel industry partners.”
 
For full year 2022, Jamaica is projecting that it will welcome over 3 million stopover arrivals and receive total earnings from tourism of over USD $3.7 billion. The destination is also expected to return to 2019 pre-Covid arrivals levels in 2023 and remains on track to welcome 5 million visitors by 2025.
 
To further support the tourism sector’s recovery, both Minister Bartlett and Director White visited New York from November 2-4 to officially launch the island’s new ‘Come Back’ advertising campaign via a series of television appearances, media appointments, meetings, and more encouraging people to come back to their best selves in Jamaica.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Friday, November 4, 2022: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and UN Ambassador Brian Wallace met to discuss the progress of Global Tourism Resilience Day.

Minister Bartlett was briefed by the Jamaica permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Brian Wallace, on the progress of Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ call for the declaration of February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day.

Minister Bartlett also updated the Ambassador on the plans by the Ministry of Tourism of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre along with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association to host the first observation of the day at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, on February 17, 2023.

The ambassador indicated that the resolution which is to be placed before the UN, is being drafted and support is being generated for its successful passage.

If successful, Prime Minister Holness would be the second Jamaican Prime Minister to have the UN declare an international day, the first being the most Hon. Hugh Lawson Shearer, Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1967 to 1972.

Jamaica Tourism Minister Hon. Bartlett explained that the need for the creation of a global tourism resilience initiative was one of the major outcomes of the 2017 Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism under the  esteemed partnership of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Government of Jamaica, the World Bank Group, and the Inter-American Development Bank(IDB).

“We have continued the charge in developing this much-needed initiative in the form of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC).  The ultimate goal of the Centre is to assist destination preparedness, management, and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally,” Minister Bartlett stated.

The minister further explained that the GTRCMC will specifically be tasked with creating, producing, and generating toolkits, guidelines, and policies to assist with preparatory and recovery efforts of tourism stakeholders affected by climatic, pandemic, cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism related disruptions.

This centre is of particular importance in the region, because of the vulnerability of the Caribbean to climatic and other disruptions. This is primarily because tourism industries in the region are dependent on a variety of infrastructure such as airports and hotels, so structural integrity is important.

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.