KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 26, 2018:  Preliminary figures indicate that approximately 1100 patrons attended the inaugural staging of the Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival hosted by the Tourism Linkages Network of the Ministry of Tourism.

According to the Head of the Tourism Linkages Network, Carolyn McDonald-Riley, the festival exceeded expectations, as the planning committee only anticipated that 750 persons would attend.  She also noted they are still awaiting the final count from one of their ticket outlets, so the final figure should increase significantly as all tickets printed were completely sold out.

Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett noted that the massive success of the festival, which took place in the Blue Mountains over three days beginning on March 23, can be utilized in the future to attract more visitors to the shore and create more opportunities for Jamaicans to earn.

 “If we bring in 4.3 million visitors to Jamaica and they are drinking Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, can you imagine the returns that will come to is? This festival is going to morph into an annual affair that will be a major pull for visitors across the world – 70 countries utilize coffee and it is the second most consumed beverage on earth – why can’t we bring a large group of those into Jamaica every year and fill out the hotel rooms in Kingston and build new opportunities in the Blue mountains for sustainable development,” said Minister Bartlett.

During his speech on the second day of the festival -  The Marketplace Event at Newcastle, St. Andrew – he further noted that “Exhibitions like these are not only going to provide a showcase of coffee beverages but an opportunity for tasting and for the world to recognize in fact that we have the best coffee. It is also an opportunity for us to create a value chain to bring jobs and more economic well-being to a larger number of our Jamaican people.”

During the event, the Minister also used the opportunity to urge coffee processors and entrepreneurs to better utilize coffee to increase the earning potential.

“We in Jamaica seem to have locked ourselves into coffee export.  But there are so many other applications and economic value that we can derive from the use of coffee in so many forms. There are numerous other applications such as physical equipment that can be made from coffee, such as coffee ties , pocket pieces, belts , mats, candles or essence,’’ he said.

The three-day event began with a special seminar for farmers on March 23, which included business development workshops for coffee industry players. It was hosted by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

The event was also oversubscribed, with many farmers describing the event as informative and helpful for them to produce better crops in greater quantities.

The high-point of the gastronomic fare was the Festival Marketplace which featured samplings of coffee in various forms, food demonstrations, business workshops, exhibitors’ booths, live entertainment and a Barista competition, which was won by Lamar Williams of Café Blue.

On the final day of the festival, patrons were encouraged to visit eateries in the Blue Mountains, which were participating entities of the Tourism Ministry’s Culinary Trail. The restaurants and cafés created specialty menus and tours (where applicable).

Chair of the Gastronomy Network and conceptualizer of the event, Nicola Madden-Grieg shared that “I think people really enjoyed the fact that we did the festival in Newcastle – it elevated the event because it was not just about coffee, but about the attractions and being in the Blue Mountains. For the Culinary Trail we also noticed that all the restaurants were booked out.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica; March 22, 2018:  Jamaica is celebrating its #1 ranking on the TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice™ awards’ Best Destinations in the Caribbean list.

The well respected planning and booking website highlighted the Caribbean’s best islands based on the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants and attractions.

Based on the data which was gathered over a 12-month period, Jamaica was also named the 14^thBest Destination in the World.

“Jamaica is truly honoured to once again be named the Best Destination in the Caribbean and to be listed in the top 20 destinations in the world. This honour is particularly special because it is an honour bestowed on us by visitors who have ranked the services we provide them as exemplary,” said Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

The Tourism Minister went on to say that this accomplishment is a special one for Jamaica, and is one that should be especially cherished by all stakeholders and employees of the industry who have made it their duty to make the visitors’ experiences unforgettable.

“The Ministry of Tourism will do our part to ensure that Jamaica’s tourism product is continuously strengthened and given the support it needs to better meet all the needs of our visitors. Most importantly we will ensure that our destination remains safe, seamless and secure,” said the Minister.

TripAdvisor® has also named Seven Mile Beach in Negril the 8^thBest Beach in the World for 2018.  With one impressed user sharing that the famous Negril beach is “One of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. Breathtaking, absolutely stunning. A must-see.” 
 

Other world-ranking accolades from TripAdvisor® included Iberostar Grand Hotel, Rose Hall being named the 13^thBest All-Inclusive Hotel in the World and Beaches Negril and Spa the 22^ndBest Hotel in the World for Family.

“Jamaica is undoubtedly a special destination and also a favourite getaway spot for the rich and famous. Most recently we’ve had the pleasure of welcoming music power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z to our island, who I am told are here to record new music and film a music video in Trench Town.  We also had comedian Mike Epps; Prince Harry and his fiancée, Meghan Markle; singer Shawn Mendes; Khloe Kardashian from the E! reality hit show, Keeping up with the Kardashians, who visited with her National Basketball Association boyfriend, Tristan Thompson; and signers Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez” said the Minister.

The Minister went on to share that “the positive publicity our ‘A-list’ guests have given our island is invaluable. This proves that Jamaica remains a lucrative market for high-end resorts. I am certain that their visits will boost the island’s appeal to the world and positively impact our arrivals; thus, helping us to continue to climb in the rankings of the TripAdvisor® users in years to come.” 

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Monday, March 21, 2018: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says, the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI) has made a promising start with 12 hotels and over 150 individuals participating in its pilot of two important certification programmes.

In a review of the pilot last Friday, it was revealed that the population of persons to be certified was quite impressive. 91 candidates completed the examinations last week for the designation Certified Hospitality Supervisor (CHS) through the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) and are now awaiting their results. This group included recent college graduates and individuals who are working in local hotels.

“I’m very happy with the progress we’ve made with this very important initiative. My Ministry is determined to provide more training opportunities to increase certification and innovation for the very talented people of Jamaica. This is the essence of what is going to build out the professional pathway in tourism,” said the Minister.

In addition, the Minister also noted that other success stories from the pilot include: 13 college graduates are currently pursuing American Culinary Federation (ACF) certification; 25 academic staff and 9 students are set to receive Certified Hospitality Information Analytics (CHIA) certification from STR Share; and 3 of Jamaica’s ACF certified chefs will be certified as ACF Evaluators, a move that will give local chefs qualification to assess candidates and award certification.

The Project Coordinator Ms CarolRose Brown noted that though more than 25 hotels signed up, 12 participated in the Pilot, including the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, Spanish Court, Moon Palace, the ClubHotel Riu – Ocho Rios, 'Half Moon- a Rock Resort', Sandals Royal, Sandals Montego Bay, Royalton Negril, Hedonism II Negril, Coco La Palm and Sunset at the Palms.

Minister of Education, Senator, Hon. Ruel Reid, said in remarks read by Regional Director Dr Michelle Pinnock, that he was satisfied with the outcome of the pilot, noting, “The goal of these certifications is in line with the ministry’s goal that by age 30 all Jamaicans should hold some form of certification.”

He was pleased that the JCTI had embarked on providing international industry certified workers for tourism and notes that with the Ministry of Education Youth and Information “we’ve had an increase in the number of students majoring in tourism related courses, an increase in the number successfully passing their examinations and gaining international industry certification as professionals”

Senator Reid’s Representative also said the Joint Committee on Tertiary Education (JCTE) had spearheaded and coordinated talks with the JCTI and The National Council on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (NCTVET) senior executives to provide National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica (NVQ-J) certification for hotel workers across Jamaica, starting Early in the new financial year.

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) has also endorsed the JCTI’s programmes. President Omar Robinson lauded the first cohort of 150 tourism employees who participated in JCTI pilot, stating that the international certification programmes would provide them with valuable knowledge to aid in their development and growth as true professionals.

He charged the participants “to become the change agents as our tourism product evolves; for them to become the creators or innovators of the future of tourism I Jamaica and ultimately the Caribbean.”

The JCTI has also received endorsement from the JCTE with its president, Dr Cecil Cornwall welcoming the avenues being created for a wider spread of professionalism in the hospitality sector.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; March 17, 2018:  Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says the Hampden Wharf Development Project, will further his Ministry’s efforts to reposition the town of Falmouth as one of the Caribbean's premier cruise destinations and leading resort towns. 

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony for the mega-infrastructure project, on March 16, the Minster shared that the $550 million investment being made by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), will yield high returns to the country’s economy, as it will create an environment to accommodate several Falmouth-owned local small enterprises and other businesses.

“The Hampden Wharf Development forms part of our ongoing discussions on how we can make the small and medium enterprises within the structure, become more responsive to the demand of tourism…to bring more earnings and income into the destination – and most importantly for the retention of these earnings in the communities that are the beneficiaries of tourism,” said Minister Bartlett.

The project currently sits on 1.6 hectares of land along the historic Falmouth Port. It is being executed by the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and the Urban Development Company, with the first phase expected to be completed by the fourth quarter 2018.  .

“The US $5.7 million project will have: 47 shops; five restaurants and bars; 12 mini-stalls which will allow our visitors to get a taste of Jamaica; and 12 major shops and activities for children. It is going to be something quite unlike anything else in the Caribbean,” said PAJ President, Professor Gordon Shirley.

A key feature will be the establishment of the island’s first artisan village, an initiative being driven by the Tourism Product Development Company, which will accommodate 18 shops along 540 square metres.

The five proposed artisan villages are expected to provide an avenue for Jamaican artists and craft persons to expose and express their creativity, while limiting the volume of imported craft items that are being sold in the industry.

“It is very important for us to build the quality of our craft product and to provide a variety. We must remember that people come to buy Jamaican things, taste Jamaican food and experience Jamaican music. The artisan village therefore, will be a confluence of ‘Jamaicanisms’ that the visitor will know is authentic and opinionated,” said Minister Bartlett.

Other aspects of the Hampden Wharf development include: the extension of the Port connecting the locals with visitors; paved surfaces with mixed textures and defined paths; landscaped areas; storyboards where applicable; adaptive re-use of historic buildings; and a rich mix of retail and local eateries, craft and history.

The TEF and its partners are also in the process of completing other enhancement projects in the town, such as the Falmouth Streetscape Project.

The Minister underscored that work being done in Falmouth will have a central role to play in the Ministry of Tourism’s growth strategy to attract five million visitors and generate US$5 billion in tourism earnings by 2021.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; Friday, March 16, 2018: With thousands of new hotel rooms coming on stream in the next two years, Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett is making a case for major investments to meet a greater demand for supplies in growing the tourism sector.

In his keynote address to open the fifth Tourism Linkages Speed Networking event at the Montego Bay Convention Centre yesterday, Mr. Bartlett underscored the need for a large volume of local supply of consistent quality and at competitive prices, to better meet demand.

“That cannot be done by the small and medium enterprises and so we need new partnerships to be forged between our larger stakeholders and suppliers of the country,” he said. But, he stressed, “Not a partnership that is driven by the government but one which realizes that the value chain can be enhanced and their own integrative strategies can be enabled if they partner with suppliers.”

The Tourism Minister advocated Jamaica attracting large investment from suppliers who have done well in other countries to partner with locals to produce at the quality, volume and price required. “They did it in the Dominican Republic and I want it to be done in Jamaica,” he asserted.

Mr Bartlett said he was pushing for this kind of partnership because in relation to what is required to get US$5 billion in five years, “we are looking now at another 10,000 rooms that will be ready by 2020 (and) there is the demand for more goods and services, so we need investment on the supply side and that’s what I am going for.”

He stressed that tourism was poised to play an even greater role in preserving and maintaining growth in Jamaica and other countries, but while there have been quantitative gains with a record 4.3 million visitors to Jamaica last year, the nearly US$3 billion in earning was inadequate.  “It also indicated that the average spend of the visitor to Jamaica for stopover purposes is only US$134 and for cruise passengers, just US$90. What that tells you is that these figures are not acceptable, they are not high enough,” said Minister Bartlett.

To get a larger spend from the tourist, attention must be given to his consumption pattern, said Mr Bartlett who suggested that hotels should have a consistent supply of Jamaican goods and services for their guests. With the millions of tourists visiting, Minister Bartlett questioned, “whose food are they eating?” and “whose manufactured goods are they consuming?”

He said the Ministry of Tourism was spearheading a strategy arrangement to get Jamaican goods and services to the visitors, with the Linkages Network playing a pivotal role.

The success of the Speed Networking event was lauded by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association’s President, Omar Robinson and the Jamaica Manufacturers Association President, Metry Seaga who also supported the call for a greater use of Jamaican foods and manufactured goods throughout the tourism sector.