BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth, Monday, April 3, 2018: Horticulture is to have a place in the Tourism Linkages Network with a view to have Jamaicans benefiting from the nearly US$3 million currently being spent to import flowers.

Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett disclosed yesterday that he had discussed with Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Council (TLC), Adam Stewart, the need to have the horticultural societies represented at the next meeting of the Council “because we must include in the Linkages, the floral attributes and the floral cultural assets of Jamaica for sale in the hotels across the country.”

He said the nearly US$3 million spent on importing flowers from Costa Rica and other countries last year should be going into the pockets of farmers and horticulturists across Jamaica.

Minister Bartlett was giving the keynote address at the official opening of the 56^th staging of the St Elizabeth Horticultural Society’s annual flower show at Independence Park. He told the gathering that, “We must take a new look at providing this particular product for the industry, in terms of quality and availability; how we create the arrangement and more importantly, a new look at the culture itself of production of these important assets.”

He underscored that today’s visitor “is into value, high end production and presentation and so it’s not enough for us to just plant the flowers or even to arrange it, it is better for us to give them quality output that are highly produced and carefully packaged.”

Minister Bartlett said with plans for the development of south coast tourism, the horticultural producers had much to look forward to. He noted that the assets of St Elizabeth, in particular, should go a far way in converting it into a tourism parish.

He said he was looking at Black River, with its rich cultural heritage, and recalling the town was where a lot of firsts took place in Jamaica “and that Black River has a very strong place in the history of the African Diaspora in our region, but more importantly in terms of the Trans-Atlantic Trade” and the impact that the town’s port had trading in logwood, sugar, molasses and slaves.

The Tourism Minister also pointed to current assets of great interest such as the Black River Swamp Safari, Pelican Bar which has been rated by TripAdvisor as among the number one attractions in the Caribbean as well as others around the town, including YS Falls, the development of Appleton Estate, “which is going to be a game changer for St Elizabeth and we’re expecting 200,000 to 300,000 visitors coming to that facility alone when the rail service is restored.”

The people of ‘St Bess’ were told that their parish would be seeing a different type of tourism as it will not have the mega all-inclusive hotels as those on the north coast. “We’re going to have a more sober, community type tourism with a small carbon imprint and a lesser density but we’re going to bring a higher end of visitors into this area with what I call luxury of a rustic nature,” said Minister Bartlett.

He assured the hundreds of patrons to the show that, “We’re going to see a new type of visitor coming into these areas and they are going to be interested in horticulture, in fruits that you produce, in the critical cultural assets that are endemic to St Elizabeth so that when they leave you they can go back to their countries fully impressed and satisfied that they came to a unique piece of God’s creation, St Bess.” 

He lauded the founders of the horticultural show and those who have sustained it for the past 56 years and “who have laboured over the years to make horticultural activities in the parish remain a strong part of the cultural offerings and presentations of this great parish.” 

Kingston, Jamaica; March 31, 2018: Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says that Jamaica is well positioned to partake in the booming health and wellness tourism market, which represents 1.8 per cent of global GDP.

Speaking at the inaugural Spa Standards and Sensitization Workshop on Wednesday (March 28), the Minister shared that the Health and Wellness sectors, of which spas play a major role, has been identified as one of the key areas of focus under his Ministry’s growth strategy.

“We have created a special segment in our Linkages Network, which focuses solely on developing the health and wellness industry. We recognise that the warmth of our climate, the development of nutraceuticals and natural hot springs are among the products that have become essential to a growing market,” explained the Minister.

He went on to note that, “our research indicates that spa tourism alone represents a $179.7 billion market and a wellness tourist spends 65% more than an average tourist. So, what we are doing here today is encouraging more spas to meet international standards so that we can encourage more of these tourists to visit the island.”

The sensitization workshop, which took place at the Eden Gardens Wellness Resort and Spa, was hosted by the Tourism Linkages Network of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Bureau of Standards of Jamaica and the Ministry of Health.  The Ministry targeted spas across the island with the primary objective of driving adoption of the JS319 standards in spa operations, as set by the Bureau of Standards of Jamaica.

Other core objectives of the workshop were to address gaps identified in spas to assist with the adoption and maintenance of internationally recognized standards; encourage the certification of spas as well as their staff by the Bureau of Standards and the Tourism Product Development Company’s Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation initiative.

The Spa Standards and Sensitization Workshop is intended to be an on-going advocacy programme, which aims to shape the adoption of international standards in the wellness landscape of Jamaica.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 26, 2018:  Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett says the newly opened Holywell Visitors’ Centre and Café, is a fraction of the extensive support his Ministry plans to provide to enhance the facilities in the Blue and John Crow Mountains.

He noted that the new facility forms part of the wider Blue Mountain Sustainable Tourism (BMST) Programme initiative which has received $46.8 million from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) in total and $20 million to construct the Visitors Centre and Café.

“For this experience in Holywell, we felt that we should embellish, strengthen and give direction. That is the reason TEF has put in a significant level of contribution towards building out this facility, so that it not only provides the repository of critical information about this wonderful piece of God’s creation but it also allows for an opportunity for relaxation,” said the Minister.

He further gave assurance to the park operators, the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust (JCDT) that “The Ministry of Tourism is going to do more because we intend to give you the full effect of what your experience requires.”

The new facility, which has been designed by the firm, Kingston 10; led by celebrated architect Anne Hodges, will feature a museum, gift shop and café which will be operated by a private sector entity.

It forms part of the Sustainable Tourism Plan for the national park and efforts to raise funds to bolster the park management programme.

Executive Director of the JCDT, Dr. Susan Otuokon also explained that, “all of this is about educating the public so that they can appreciate what we have here in the Blue and John Crow Mountains in Jamaica and also to entertain and peak the interests of all the visitors. It also helps us to generate income for running the national park.”

As part of the Blue Mountain Sustainable Tourism (BMST) Programme, the final product will also include other projects such as interpretive signage, landscaping, rehabilitation of checkpoint post.

The BMST will also include the creation of gazeboes at Portland Gap, repair to the shelter at Blue Mountain Peak and general signage along trails to the Blue Mountain.

The overall project should be completed in June of this year.