LONDON, United Kingdom; November 7, 2019:  Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has secured airlift arrangements with Condor Airlines as part of efforts to lessen the impact of the recent collapse of Thomas Cook, the 178-year-old British tour operator.

The announcement follows a meeting with Condor Airlines and the Jamaica Tourist Board during World Travel Market yesterday.

“Following discussions yesterday, Condor Airlines has agreed to pick up the fallout of seats from Thomas Cook in Germany and continental Europe. We also had further discussions about the possibility of additional flights out of the region,” said Minister Bartlett.

Condor Airlines, a subsidiary of the defunct Thomas Cook, has been the most consistent carrier to Jamaica from Germany over the last twenty (20) years with bi weekly services. Despite its parent company Thomas Cook Group filing for insolvency, the airline continues to operate after securing a bridging loan from the German government.

“This arrangement forms part our overall strategy to ensure that we continue to mitigate the impact of this fall out. We have already met with all our key partners, our three major airlines – Tui, Virgin, and British Airways – and we have completely restored all the seats that would have been lost for the period,” said Minister Bartlett.

Based on these arrangements with airlines, tour operators, and travel agencies, Jamaica will be out of danger in terms of airlift not only for the rest of the year, but for the winter tourist season.

The collapse of Thomas Cook left a large number of travellers stranded across the world. Visitors to Jamaica were brought home to the UK on special free flights or booked onto another scheduled airline, at no additional cost.

LONDON, United Kingdom; November 7, 2019:  Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that Jamaica and the Republic of Panama are set to establish a multi destination arrangement, as part of efforts to strengthen tourism relations between both countries.

This announcement follows discussions with Minister of Tourism for Panama, His Excellency Ivan Alfaro, and Minister Bartlett at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London yesterday.

“Multi destination tourism is a strategy to increase the product offerings of the respective destinations but more so to enable better air connectivity between markets, particularly for long haul destinations. With this multi destination arrangement, Panama will become a hub for long haul flights and Emirates and Air China are among the two targeted carriers,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Jamaica Tourist Board and the Panamanian Tourism Authority will meet to conclude details of the arrangement by January 2020 for signing during FITUR in Spain.

“The second area of collaboration will be to explore how we can better leverage the Jamaican Diaspora that has contributed to the cultural enrichment of Panama.

The third and final area of collaboration will be resilience building in the region, which will include the establishment of a satellite Global Resilience and Crisis Management Centre at an agreed university in Panama,” added Minister Bartlett.

Jamaica has had diplomatic relations with Panama since 1966. Currently, COPA Airlines, which is the flag carrier of Panama, operates eleven (11) flights weekly into Jamaica.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB and features many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals.

Minister Bartlett, who is participating in WTM as part of efforts to increase outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets, will return to the island on November 8.

LONDON, United Kingdom; November 5, 2019: Jamaica’s Manual on Tourism Ethics, scheduled to be released at the end of the year, has been hailed as innovative and timely by the international tourism community. The manual forms part of the outcomes of the island wide security audit of hotels and attractions undertaken earlier this year.

“The issue of safety and security remains a critical component of any destination’s assurance to visitors. Jamaica, in its commitment to ensuring safety and security for all visitors and locals alike, reviewed security arrangements of all hotels and attractions with a view to creating a new architecture and the manual of tourism ethics will guide that,” said Minister Bartlett.

Minister Bartlett commissioned the security audit to ensure that the destination remains safe, secure and seamless for both visitors and locals. The audit was carried out by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) with support from well-known international security expert Dr. Peter Tarlow.

Minister Bartlett highlighted the manual during his presentation yesterday as a key panellist on the World Travel Market (WTM) discussion on ‘Taking responsibility for Safety and Security’. Other panellists included German Porras, former Secretary of Tourism for Spain; John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs of Sri Lanka; Sethembiso Dlamini, COO and Acting CEO at South African Tourism; and Nikki White, Director of Destinations and Sustainability at ABTA.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB and features many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals.

Minister Bartlett added that, “This will be a first of its kind manual that will help to guide security arrangements for the region. It will be a game changer in the area of safety and security in the industry.”

While at WTM, Minister Bartlett will use the opportunity to increase in outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets.

Minister Bartlett is expected to return to the island on November 8, 2019.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; November 05, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says the local tourism industry is in mourning, after learning of the sudden passing of the co-owner of Jamaica Inn, Peter Morrow.

He passed away on Thursday in Ocala, Florida, after a small plane he was travelling in crashed into a vehicle. The crash reportedly killed Morrow and the other passenger on board on impact when the aircraft tried to make an emergency landing near an outdoor shopping mall in north Florida.

“On behalf of all of the Government of Jamaica, I would like to offer my condolences to the family and close friends of Peter Morrow, during this very difficult time. We are deeply saddened by this news and extend my deepest sympathies, especially to his brother Eric,” said Bartlett.

“Mr Marrow was a brilliant businessman who knew the value of excellent customer service and a kind smile. His passion for tourism is truly unmatched and our local industry will not be the same without him. May his soul be at peace with our Heavenly Father,” he continued.

According to ABC News the Beechcraft Baron aircraft had just taken off from Ocala International Airport for a maintenance flight before it "crash landed" on a six-lane road, hitting power lines and the Sports Utility Vehicle.  

The elderly driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital and is reportedly in stable condition.

The Gleaner described Morrow as an avid pilot who got his pilot’s licence at the age of 15.  He first came to Jamaica in the early 50s with his hotel career starting in the 1960s, after he completed his studies in London and Paris.

“I also wish to offer my condolences to the staff of Jamaica Inn, including General Manager Kyle Mais, who I am sure are shocked and saddened by this news. I offer you my thoughts, prayers and well-wishes during this dark time,” said Minister Bartlett.

Jamaica Inn was established in 1958. It is situated in the resort town of Ocho Rios and has been managed by third-generation owners Peter and Eric Morro since the 1980s.

Over the years, the luxury hotel has welcomed many celebrity guests and government officials such as Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller, Sir Winston Churchill and Princess Margaret.

LONDON, United Kingdom; November 5, 2019: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says there is need for global oversight of travel advisories issued for destinations. The Minister made the call at the World Travel Market (WTM), which is being staged in London November 4-6, 2019.

Speaking on a WTM panel discussion on ‘Taking responsibility for Safety and Security’, Minister Bartlett said, “this call for global oversight is being made in the context of the significance of tourism as a main economic driver in an increasing number of countries and implications that these advisories can have on the economic viability and stability of countries who are heavily tourism dependent.” 

Travel warnings or advisories are issued by governments to enable travellers to make an informed decision about a particular travel destination, and to help travellers prepare adequately for what may be encountered on their trip.

Minister Bartlett, who also made the call at the launch of the World Travel and Tourism Council Crisis Readiness Report in partnership with Global Rescue, which was held yesterday during WTM, said whilst Jamaica has not been severely impacted by travel advisories there are other countries who have been.

Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Hon Najib Balala, also agreed with the sentiment and highlighted the negative impact of old information regarding security and safety issues remaining for years on platforms such as websites, even after the events have passed.

Globally, tourism represents 10 percent of global GDP and employs 1 in 10 workers of the world. Some small and highly dependent tourism countries have GDP dependence of up to 90 percent as is the case in of a number of Caribbean countries.

“Travel advisories weigh heavily on the decisions of tourists to visit destinations. Many times, these advisories do not have timely review and consequently continue to carry a perspective on the destination which may long have changed thus putting at risk the economic viability of those communities.

There should be a global body which offers some oversight in the area and would intervene on behalf of some of these countries to have adjusted advisories that reflect a more accurate picture as to what is happening,” Minister Bartlett said.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB and features many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals. Through its industry networks, the WTM also creates personal and business opportunities while also providing customers with quality contacts, content and communities.

During the WTM, Minister Bartlett will also use the opportunity to increase in outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets.

Minister Bartlett is expected to return to the island on November 8, 2019.

LONDON, United Kingdom; November 5, 2019: Jamaica’s Manual on Tourism Ethics scheduled to be released at the end of the year, has been hailed as innovative and timely by the intentional tourism community. The manual forms part of the outcomes of the island wide security audit of hotels and attractions undertaken earlier this year.

“The issue of safety and security remains a critical component of any destination’s assurance to visitors. Jamaica, in its commitment to ensuring safety and security for all visitors and locals alike, reviewed security arrangements of all hotels and attractions with a view to creating a new architecture and the manual of tourism ethics will guide that,” said Minister Bartlett.

Minister Bartlett commissioned the security audit to ensure that the destination remains safe, secure and seamless for visitors and locals alike. The audit was carried out by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) with support from well-known international security expert Dr. Peter Tarlow.

Minister Bartlett highlighted the manual during his presentation yesterday as a key panellist on the World Travel Market (WTM) discussion on ‘Taking responsibility for Safety and Security’. Other panellists included German Porras, former Secretary of Tourism for Spain; John Amaratunga, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs of Sri Lanka, Sethembiso Dlamini, COO and Acting CEO at South African Tourism; and Nikki White, Director of Destinations and Sustainability at ABTA.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB and features many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals.

Minister Bartlett added that, “This will be a first of its kind manual that will help to guide security arrangements for the region. It will be a game changer in the area of safety and security in the industry.”

Whilst at WTM, Minister Bartlett will use the opportunity to increase in outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets.

Minister Bartlett is expected to return to the island on November 8, 2019.

LONDON, United Kingdom - November 4, 2019: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett today handed over US$50 thousand to Director General of the Bahamas Tourism and Aviation Ministry, Mrs. Joy Jibrilu at the second Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCM) Board of Governors Meeting in London today.

The money, forms part of the overall relief fund established by the GTRCM to support tourism-ravaged economies impacted by disruptions such as natural disasters and pandemics.

Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm, hit the Bahamas last month as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall. The storm caused widespread flooding and destruction. 

“This donation symbolizes the Centre’s commitment to assisting tourism dependent states that are vulnerable to disruptions to recover and rebound. Two islands of the Bahamas suffered much damage from the passage of hurricane Dorian and still needs support to rebuild and this contribution will go towards that,” said Minister Bartlett.

In collaboration with the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), the GTRCM is providing US$100,000 in support of the tourism ravaged economies of the Bahamas and other areas in the Caribbean that may be impacted in the future.

In accepting the donation, Director General, Mrs. Jibrilu said “On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and Government of the Bahamas, I am pleased to accept this contribution which will help with our recovery and rebuilding efforts. This show of support is deeply appreciated and shows the importance of collaboration on issues of disaster and crisis management.”

The fund will also go towards the commissioning of a baseline study to assess the vulnerabilities of the Caribbean to major disruptions such as hurricanes, pandemics and epidemics and building capacity to deal with them.

“Global trends show that given the dynamic and devastating nature of these disruptions, building resilience to predict, manage and recover from these disruptions has become even more critical and that is what the GTRCM has been established to do,” added Minister Bartlett.

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre's mission includes assisting global tourism destinations with destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.

LONDON, United Kingdom; November 4, 2019: Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has made a call for investment in the tourism industry to go beyond the development of hotel rooms and other infrastructure. Minister Bartlett made the call during his presentation on the opportunities for investment in travel and tourism development projects, Infrastructure and Services at the International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC) in London.

The ITIC is a global platform for policymakers, tourism ministers, investors and the tourism business community. It addresses the concerns and challenges facing destinations worldwide in areas such as capacity building, infrastructure, human capital, resources, safety and security.

“The tourism industry is rapidly changing with the onset of new technologies which are changing the way we do business. To keep apace of these changes to be able to meet the growing demands of the industry, our investment focus should be on building the capacity of the suppliers in the industry who are the main drivers of tourism,” said Minister Bartlett.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) flows to Latin America and the Caribbean rose 8% to reach $151 billion, according to UNCTAD's World Investment Report 2018. For Jamaica, FDI flows accounted for USD 888 million.

“Small tourism players, which I refer to as Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) are the backbone of the industry. It is through their creativity we have been able to tap into the passion points of our visitors whether through food or entertainment, to give authentic experiences to our visitors.

Building their capacity will build their ability to be even more creative to enhance our tourism offerings,” added Minister Bartlett.

Through the Tourism Enhancement Fund, SMTEs in Jamaica have access to a J$1Billion revolving loan programme that is administered through the EXIM Bank. In total, since its inception, as at last month, September 2019, TEF has disbursed more than $868 million in loan funds to 367 borrowers.

Over the two day period, Minister Bartlett participated in two panel discussions titled, ‘Opportunities for Investment in Travel and Tourism Development Projects, Infrastructure and Services,’ and ‘Climate Change and Tourism Resilience Management.’’

Other panellists include senior officials such as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Najib Balala EGH; Malta’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Konrad Mizzi; and Chairman of ITIC/ former United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 31, 2019: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says his Ministry is in talks with the Argentine Republic to forge partnerships in areas such as education, destination marketing, and resilience building.

The Minister made this announcement during a courtesy call to his New Kingston office by the Argentine Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Luis Del Solar on October 29, 2019.

“The first area of collaboration we are interested in forging is in human capital development for our tourism workers.  Therefore, the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation will seek to collaborate with a university in Buenos Aires on a conversational Spanish curriculum for tourism workers. This will ensure that the average worker can become conversant in the language,” said the Minister.

He noted that this is against the background of the expected increase in visitors to the island from the South American market because of additional airlift from the region beginning in December.

LATAM Airlines will inaugurate three weekly flights from Peru and other South American countries to Montego Bay. This is in addition to 11 flights now offered by Copa Airlines out of Panama, to bring the total weekly flights between South America and Jamaica to 14.

“LATAM Airlines, flying out of Peru, will be making connections from several gateways in South America countries, including Argentina which is the largest partner in South America for Jamaica, providing some 5,000 visitors annually,” he said.

Ambassador Del Solar expressed interest in learning more about strategies used by the Jamaica Tourist Board to market the destination.

“We are very interested in sharing experiences with marketing the country as a tourism destination. I think the marketing of Jamaica is very interesting and I think there are a lot of possibilities to exchange of experiences,” said Del Solar.

“To be honest, you have been able to protect the image of the country with many positive things. We need to learn how to do it better. We have a strong industry but we could do much more,” he continued.

During the discussions, the Minister and Ambassador Del Solar also explored corporation in the area of resilience and the possibility of setting up a satellite of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRMC) in Buenos Aires.

The satellite centre will focus on regional issues and will share information in nanoTime with the GTRCMC. It will also function as a think tank to develop possible solutions.

The GTRCMC, which was first announced in 2017, assists in destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally. There are plans also to establish satellite centres in Kenya Morocco, South Africa, Nigeria, and Seychelles.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; October 31, 2019:  Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island yesterday to participate in three major global travel trade shows in London, England.

The Minister, who is accompanied by senior officials from his Ministry and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), will participate in the International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC) on Global Investment Opportunities in Sustainable Tourism; World Travel Market (WTM) and the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council’s fourth annual Global Resilience Summit.

The ITIC, which starts tomorrow at the InterContinental London Park Lane, is a global platform for policymakers, tourism ministers, investors and the tourism business community. It addresses the concerns and challenges facing destinations worldwide in areas such as capacity building, infrastructure, human capital, resources, safety and security.

During the event, Minister Bartlett will participate in two panel discussions, alongside senior officials such as Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of Tourism and Wildlife, Hon. Najib Balala EGH; Malta’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Konrad Mizzi; and Chairman of ITIC/ former United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Dr. Taleb Rifai.

His panel discussions are titled, ‘Opportunities for Investment in Travel and Tourism Development Projects, Infrastructure and Services,’ and ‘Climate Change and Tourism Resilience Management.’’

He will later join colleagues from the JTB at the World Travel Market on November 4, 2019, in Excel, London.

The Minister is scheduled to participate in discussions on ‘Taking Responsibility for Safety & Security,’ as well as ‘Resilient Destinations in an Age of Increased Disaster Risk and Impact.’

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the JTB. It will feature many Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals. Through its industry networks, the WTM also creates personal and business opportunities while also providing customers with quality contacts, content and communities.

During the WTM, he will also use the opportunity to increase in outbound travels from the UK, Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and Nordic region to grow arrivals from these markets.

The Minister’s final official event in London is the Global Travel and Tourism Resilience Council’s fourth annual Global Resilience Summit, where he will join world leaders to discuss the latest developments in resiliency planning, using a combination of case studies, best practices and lessons.

This series of events was created to reflect the increased need for preparedness and crisis management in the modern world and serves to empower delegates with the necessary knowledge to execute resiliency.

Minister Bartlett will return to the island on November 8, 2019.