KINGSTON, Jamaica; February 13, 2017: Years prior to the Cuban Revolution in 1959 that saw the communist Fidel Castro regime come to power, Cruise ships from Miami regularly stopped in Cuba and Jamaica as part of their northern Caribbean itinerary. Now with the easing of US/Cuba relations just under 60 years following the revolution and prompting by Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, Cruise executives are excited about the prospects for a surge in interest for the once charmed route which will prove popular and continue the upward trajectory of Jamaica’s cruise arrival numbers.  

The development comes as Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL), after receiving approval for a one day per week sailing into Havana, Cuba decided to drop Grand Bahama in the Bahamas from its scheduled four-day voyage, sending jitters throughout the tourism industry there. Interestingly, Swiss based cruise giant MSC Cruises has been promoting its itineraries spanning, Havana, Cuba; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cayman Islands and Cozumel, Mexico this year. Meanwhile, the Cypriot-owned 1,200-passenger Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has been sailing seven-day Cuba itineraries year-round on a people-to-people cruise and land itinerary out of Montego Bay and Havana.  

The Jamaica, Cuba cruise itinerary was just one of the outcomes of a meeting between Bartlett recently with the new President of the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) and President of Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL), the world's second-largest cruise line operator, Mr. Adam Goldstein in Miami, Florida. Mr. Bartlett was accompanied by Director of Tourism, Mr. Paul Pennicook and Delano Seiveright, Senior Advisor.

“The visit was buoyed by strong growth in Jamaica’s tourism sector last year, with cruise arrivals surging 5.5 percent ahead of the previous year resulting in 1.66 million visitors and a 8.1 percent growth in Cruise passenger earnings totalling US$ 148.6 million or just about J$19 billion.”, Bartlett pointed out.

It also comes on the heels of a historic visit in December by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Minister Bartlett and other tourism officials at the headquarters of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise operator in Miami.

Senior Advisor, Delano Seiveright in addition to discussions on Cuba, noted that the Tourism Minister also, “focused on ways to facilitate the hiring of more Jamaican crew-members on cruise lines, improving the guest experience at the Falmouth Port in Trelawny, increased utilization of Ports of Calls like Kingston and Port Antonio and new destinations like Black River, St. Elizabeth as well as ways to strengthen the relationship between cruise lines and the Jamaican government.”

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL) head honcho Adam Goldstein noted that Jamaica is without a doubt one of the best cruise destinations in the world with incredible potential for global greatness given the rich culture, accommodating personality of Jamaicans and diverse attraction offerings. He commended Bartlett for his hands on, visionary and expert led approach to tourism development on the island. He however urged the Government to move decisively at centralizing the management of the cruise operations as a means of better focusing resources, quickly fixing problems, improve security and allowing for more substantive growth and a broader spread of the benefits to the Jamaican people.

Underlying Jamaica’s growing cruise industry, the island currently hosts six of the largest cruise ships in the world. Currently, the Port of Falmouth is hosting the three largest cruise ships in the world – Harmony of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Oasis of the Seas, which are all Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) vessels. In the meantime, Ocho Rios is hosting the Norwegian Epic, the Norwegian Pearl and the Carnival Vista. A fourth ship in the RCCL’s Oasis luxury fleet, which is under construction and set to replace Harmony of the Seas as the biggest ship in the world, is expected to be added to Jamaica’s itinerary in November 2018.

Seiveright noted that Bartlett, reiterated important targets set for the overall tourism sector aiming to secure 5 million visitors by 2021, while also generating US$5 billion in tourism earnings, increase the total direct jobs to 125,000 and add 15,000 new Hotel rooms.

“So far the latest figures show that for 2016, Jamaica recorded total tourist arrivals, stopover and cruise combined, of 3.84 million, 4 percent above the previous year.” – Seiveright.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 19, 2017: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (January 19, 2017) signed an agreement with representatives of the Excellence Group of Luxury Hotels and Resorts to build two hotels in Oyster Bay, Trelawny, which will add over 700 rooms to the island’s room-stock.

The Excellence Group, which is renowned for its award-winning luxurious properties, plans to begin construction on their first property in Jamaica in February 2017.

The first hotel will be built at a cost of US$110 million. It will have some 325-rooms and is expected to open its doors to guests in the first half of 2018. The second property, which will have some 400 rooms, will open at a later date.

The Minister signed the agreement with the CEO of the Excellence Group, Antonio Montaner – Ferrer and the group’s Country Manager for Jamaica, Rafael Matas. The Signing took place at Jamaica’s booth at FITUR, which is largest International Tourism Trade Fair for inbound and outbound Ibero American markets, now underway in Spain.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Bartlett expressed that “investment in Jamaica’s tourism sector is booming. We welcome this new project as it marks the entry of yet another major brand to the sector. The entry of the Excellence Group to the Jamaican landscape will certainly broaden the options available to visitors and help to enhance our product offering. I am pleased that both hotels will be luxury properties as the first hotel will be branded as an Excellence property while the second will be operated under the group’s top brand – Finest.”

In welcoming the move Minister Bartlett said “the current investment being made in our country is proof of the confidence the Excellence Group and our many other investors have in Jamaica.  As we continue on our path to meet the objectives outlined in our growth agenda, this development project will aid in our quest to secure 15,000 new rooms in the next five years.”

He emphasized that “another key component of our growth strategy is securing new investments, so we welcome the entry of yet another investor and encourage other players both local and international to invest in Jamaica’s vibrant tourism sector.”

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 17, 2017:   Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett yesterday (January 16, 2017)  signed an agreement at the Palacio Neptuno in Spain, to host a major global conference to commemorate the 2017 United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

The event, which is a collaborative effort between the Government of Jamaica, international development firm Chemonics International and the UNWTO, will be staged from November 27 to 29 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James.

Speaking during the historic signing ceremony, Minister Bartlett expressed that he was honoured to have participated on behalf of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, to concretize arrangements to host such a prestigious event in Jamaica.

“This signing will see an international conference of great magnitude and importance to global tourism, being hosted in Jamaica. We look forward to showcasing our destination but more so within the context of sustainability and the building of public-private-partnerships,” said Minister Bartlett.

Secretary General of the UNWTO, Taleb Rifai shared that the conference will kick-start discussions to create on-the ground activities to develop tourism across the globe from such partnerships.

“We keep talking about the need for public-private-partnerships, but we fail to translate that on the ground in any effective manner. Minister Bartlett together with Ibrahim Osta,‎ Chief of Party for Building Economic Sustainability through Tourism at Chemonics International, will together cooperate in making and designing this very important meeting in Jamaica towards the end of this year,” said Secretary General Rifai.

The agreement is of great historical importance because it signals the first time that the UNWTO will stage a world conference on tourism in the Caribbean or the Americas. 

Minister Bartlett, who is also the Chairman of the Board of Affiliate Members of the UNWTO, described the event as a very unique opportunity as it will also allow the world’s spotlight to be on Jamaica, and by extension the Caribbean, which is heavily dependent on the economic power of tourism.

“Jamaica is a part of the Caribbean archipelago of states which is the most tourism-dependent region on earth. It means therefore, that to be positioned to invite the world to see us in the practice of sustainability tendencies, embracing best practices, and showcasing how we have been able to manage, and grow and build the economic well-being of our people is something, that for us is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” said Minister Bartlett.  

Two of the expected deliverables from this conference will be an Outcome Declaration and the publication of the second UNWTO Affiliate Members Global Report on Public-Private-Partnerships. The UNWTO will also present a report to the UN General Assembly in 2018, with regards to the activities of the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, of which the conference will play a major role.

At a meeting prior to the signing, Minister Bartlett highlighted the great strides Jamaica has made in forming public-private-partnerships in the spirit of sustainable tourism for development, through the Tourism Linkages Network model and financial support provided specifically for Small and Medium Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs).

“Tourism is the fastest way to transfer money from the rich to the poor. We can certainly do this effectively through our Linkages initiatives,” shared the Minister.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 12, 2017:  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has lauded Kingston City Run Marathon as a unique event which highlights Kingston as an ideal tourist destination to thousands each year. 

While at the launch of the Kingston City Run at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, the Minister shared that “the event is a part of the constellation of marathons across Jamaica which significantly drives arrivals. These marathons are becoming central parts of Jamaica’s tourism product and are therefore now calendar items that can be marketed along with the destination and its other offerings.”

He further noted that the marathon is expected to add value to Jamaica’s tourism product because it has the potential to create new business models.

“Marathons like Kingston City Run bring people who are great subscribers of Airbnb, for example. It is broadening the base of tourism involvement and ‘stakeholdership’ in Kingston because the people who come to Kingston City Run are going to be housed from Trench Town to Norbrook and many of our hotels,” he said

The Kingston City Run is slated to take place on Sunday March 12, 2017 under the theme “Calling all Heroes”. Participants, who are encouraged to wear super-hero inspired attire, will have the unique opportunity to walk or run through some of Kingston’s most iconic attractions.

“I am so happy that there is added focus in Kingston as it has so much to offer. So we are going to make more people come to Kingston. In fact, the sixth network my Ministry will be focusing on is City Tourism with Kingston as its epicentre.  Kingston has its own allurement, excitement and tremendously rich culture and entertainment. We are going to leverage that,” shared the Minister.

Nicola Madden-Greig, co-chair and co-founder of Kingston City Run Organizing Committee shared that the aim for this year’s event is to raise approximately J$5 million for charity.

“This year we will be doing more to support our homeless and vulnerable communities through five main charities: Open Arms Drop in Centre, Marie Atkins Night Shelter, Food for the Poor, Missionaries for the Poor and Alpha Institute. Over the past four years we have been able to raise over J$ 9 million and this has gone a far way in improving the lives of many,” said Madden-Greig.

The organizers have also incorporated new elements in this year’s event.  One such feature is “Give Things a Running Chance”, which hopes to target 1000 inner-city children who cannot afford to participate. They will also be offering a special discount rate to university students of $650.

Registrations can be done online at: www.kingstoncityrun.com, or info@kingstoncityrun.com

ACCOMPONG TOWN, Cockpit Country, Jamaica; January 8, 2017: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has revealed that the 279-year-old Maroon community of Accompong is to have pride of place as the first cultural heritage location to be promoted worldwide as part of a new marketing initiative being driven by the Ministry’s Tourism Linkages Network.

“We will make Accompong the first destination and we will now place the anniversary festival on the calendar of events and market the community alongside the destination when we go abroad to market experiences in Jamaica”, said Minister Bartlett. He noted that, “we are satisfied that the authenticity of this experience will enhance Jamaica’s presence in the global arena.”

The Ministry’s plan for the community was outlined by the Minister as he gave the keynote address at last Friday’s festival commemorating the 279th Anniversary of the signing of the peace treaty by the Maroons and the British. “We are going to work with Colonel Ferron Williams and his cultural committee to build out this festival experience to make it a calendar event that is promoted to all visitors who come to Jamaica,” the Minister said.

Since assuming office in 2016, Minister Bartlett has been laying the foundation for the growth and diversification of Jamaica’s tourism industry through five new networks;  Sports and Entertainment, Gastronomy, Health and Wellness, Shopping and Knowledge. They operate under the Ministry’s overarching Tourism Linkages Network, which seeks to drive the development of these sub-sectors to further diversify our tourism offerings, create business opportunities and increase the use of local goods and services within the tourism sector. The new marketing programme is being developed by the Sports and Entertainment Network working in collaboration with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).

He said the festival on January 6 each year had become an international event which “opens the door for many thousands of locals and visitors who flock to the mountain settlement each year and immerse themselves in the rich life, culture and history of the heroic Maroons through their music, dance, story-telling, craft and food.”

As Minister Bartlett spoke, many international visitors sat comfortably on the ground listening while savoring meals of freshly jerked chicken and pork.

From as far back as the late 1990s, the Ministry of Tourism through the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has been working with the Maroons to develop the tourism product from which they have been benefitting through tours.
Some of the physical works such as signage and improvements to the community centre in the area have since deteriorated. Minister Bartlett announced that in addition to $9 million recently provided by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) to repair the roadway from New Holland to Accompong; an additional $20 million will be allocated to repair the roadway to the area.

Signage which had been erected by TPDCo are to be improved and public facilities repaired. Col. Williams was tasked to ensure these amenities will be maintained and kept in pristine condition.

To further enhance the scope of Accompong’s cultural offerings, the tourism ministry will also collaborate with the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) in building a cultural centre for the young people to develop their talents, enhance their capabilities “but more importantly, provide the basis for public education and cultural development,” said Minister Bartlett.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; January 11, 2017:  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (January 11, 2017) announced that Cabinet has approved the arrangements for the development of Jamaica’s first Hotel School as well as the establishment of Artisan Villages and a Craft Development Institute, to aid in the Ministry’s push to strengthen the island’s human capital. 

Speaking at a post cabinet press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister, Minister Bartlett explained that the Hotel School would offer a more practical curriculum and will complement the current hospitality programmes at the country’s tertiary institutions. This is primarily because the institution will operate as both a functional hotel and world-class training institution.

The Hotel School is intended to support development in areas such as Culinary Management, Spa Management and Hospitality Management. “We want to see our people in more supervisory and management roles. We are bringing to the table a very practical curriculum, so that we can go to the hoteliers with confidence, and say that we have the right people with skills and professionalism for their hotels,” explained Minister Bartlett.

He further noted that “the institution will operate like a laboratory where students will get hands-on experience in a modern institution that also offers training to acquire internationally recognized academic credentials and certification. The school will also be accessible to every Jamaican student studying hospitality and tourism regardless of the tertiary institution that he or she is enrolled in.”

Minister Bartlett alongside, Minister of Education, Youth and Information Senator, Hon. Ruel Reid, kick-started the development process by today signing the agreement to create a Business Case for the Hotel School. The agreement concretizes the engagement of a team of international tourism experts who will conduct research and share knowledge and best practices to facilitate the successful establishment of the hotel school.

The team is led by Donald Hawkins, Professor Emeritus of Management and Tourism Studies, George Washington University, and will produce the business plan that will serve as the official guide for the initiative.

The Minister also outlined that Cabinet’s approval to establish Artisan Villages and a Craft Development Institute (CDI) will significantly boost the Ministry’s efforts to foster the development of the skills of craft entrepreneurs across the island and the effective marketing of their products. The overall strategy also entails the design of a system to produce and distribute Jamaican craft.

“This plan will see a strong partnership between the Tourism Ministry and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts among other partners, and the collaboration of both local and visiting craftsmen and women to create a truly comprehensive programme. The establishment of the Craft Development Institute and the Artisan Villages is vital if we are to better cater to our cruise visitors in particular,” said Minister Bartlett.

Five artisan villages are slated to be built across the island. They will be one-stop-shop facilities where visitors can see the creation and merchandising of craft items, while enjoying authentic Jamaican entertainment and leisure activities. It will also provide an avenue for Jamaican artists and craftsmen to expose and express their creativity by producing unique indigenous items, thus, limiting the volume of imported craft items that are being sold in the industry.

The Craft Development Institute is scheduled to welcome the first students in the September 2018 school year while the first Artisan Village at the Port of Falmouth is scheduled to open in December 2018.  
 

NEGRIL, Westmoreland, Jamaica; Sunday, December 18, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has assured craft traders in the fast developing resort town of Negril that $80 million has been allocated to construct an artisan village in the area.

“I am pleased to announce to you today that we are going to proceed with the development of the infrastructure for the craft entrepreneurs in Negril by way of building out the artisan village here in Negril,” Minister Bartlett told the craft traders when he met with them on the weekend. This as the Minister and other officials from the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies visited the area as part of a winter tourist season motivational tour.

He told the gathering at the Negril Green Island Planning Authority that details of the $80 million project would be outlined to them by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) early in the New Year.

“Some aspects of the design are already completed and we will have to work with you for full buy-in because one of the things that we want to ensure is that you have very commodious setting and comfort,” he noted.

Five artisan villages are slated to be built across the island. They will be one-stop-shop facilities where visitors can see the creation and merchandising of craft items, while enjoying authentic Jamaican entertainment and leisure activities. It will also provide an avenue for Jamaican artists and craftsmen to expose and express their creativity by producing unique indigenous items, thus, limiting the volume of imported craft items that are being sold in the industry.

Using his preferred reference to them as craft entrepreneurs, Minister Bartlett said the craft subsector had a special and key role to play in building out the experience of the Negril destination. “We need to build for you the infrastructure, the regulatory and the legislative framework that will give you the space to grow, expand and to prosper,” he said. Advising them that their job was to grow, Mr. Bartlett said there had to be dialogue on how they were going to make that happen.

He reiterated a desire to see the sector producing creative Jamaican art and craft at a very high standard and in quantities that could meet big commercial orders. He therefore outlined that craft traders would be trained under a memorandum of understanding now being finalized with the Edna Manley Collage of the Visual and Performing Arts, adding that the details of that partnership are to be disclosed in January.

Minister Bartlett had additional advice for the craft traders. “I want you to be organized into, whether it is a cooperative or a company, with a legal arrangement so that your organization can enter into contracts with big companies to produce the large quantities of items that hotels or other companies will need,” he said. It was outlined that the TPDCo Entrepreneurial Team will sit with the traders to work out having that done.

The Minister also advised the craft traders to take advantage of loan facilities established by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) working in collaboration with entities such as EXIM Bank, through which small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) can access from $5 million up to $25 million at 5% interest for five years. Such facilities he notes can help to put them in a position to compete and supply on a wider scale.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; December 14, 2016: Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today announced that Cabinet has approved the drafting of the Tourism Workers Pension Act to facilitate the creation of the much needed pension fund. The scheme will benefit all tourism workers, including Red Cap Porters, craft vendors, ground transportation operators and hotel workers.

In making the announcement today (December 14), Minister Bartlett, who laid the groundwork for the pension scheme some six years ago, explained that “on Monday the Cabinet of Jamaica approved the pension plan arrangement for the workers of the tourism industry.”

“This clears the way for Parliamentary approval to be sought for the Act to facilitate the establishment of the pension scheme and for the requisite steps to be taken to amend the TEF Act to allow for the disbursement of $1 billion to facilitate the seeding of the pension scheme,” he said.

The Minister emphasized that “the fund will attract the same kind of fiscal arrangement that established other pension funds in the country and will be treated like the typical pension scheme where contributions will be tax free.”

He outlined that the next step is for legislation to be drafted and taken to Parliament for debate in a bid to secure approval, which would pave the way for the establishment of the scheme.

The Minister was addressing workers from the Passport Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Red Cap Porters as well as ground transportation operators at a special appreciation function for tourism workers at the Sangster International Airport.  The event was held to thank them for their hard work and encourage them to redouble their efforts for what is gearing up to be the biggest winter tourist season ever.

He gave a commitment to the tourism workers “that by September of 2017 the formal arrangement and the first beneficiary of this act will come into being.” This, he added, meant “we would have created a historic arrangement where for the first time the workers of the tourism industry, not just those in the accommodation sub-sector but all the workers in every category that contribute to the development of tourism in Jamaica, will have a pension plan.”

Minister Bartlett also suggested that the pension scheme would also set the stage for the elimination of seasonality in the industry with workers having quality year-round employment and not having to worry about seasonal employment. Further, he said this was the last year of celebrating the start of the winter tourist season as there is now an evening out of the flow of visitors throughout the entire year.

Following the function, Minister Bartlett and other officials, including representatives from the Ministry and its agencies, welcomed the first visitor for the Winter Tourist Season as a Jamaican who migrated from the island over 30 years ago, along with her Trinidadian husband, were welcomed  as the first arrivals for the winter season. The JetBlue flight from the USA touched down at approximately 9:55 a.m. and the lucky couple were met at plane side. They received VIP treatment upon arrival and received several special gifts from various tourism entities.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, December 14, 2016: A memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a framework for cooperation to further boost and diversify Jamaica’s tourism product, was signed on December 13, 2016 by the Jamaica Tourist Board and home-sharing accommodation company Airbnb.

Ahead of the signing, at the Jamaica Tourist Board’s New Kingston offices, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett expressed his excitement about the positive impact he expects the partnership to have on the travel experience of visitors and Jamaica’s tourism product overall.

“This partnership will help expose our visitors to our rich culture and showcase the warm Jamaican hospitality for which we are known the world over. I also believe great things will come from this, as we cooperate in areas of common interest, including marketing Jamaica as a tourist destination; promoting sporting events as well as our festivals and other cultural events; and fostering responsible home sharing,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Airbnb digital platform is currently used by approximately 140 million people in more than 34,000 cities and 191 countries. Its growing popularity has caused some concern locally from tourism interests, as it currently surpasses some major hotel chains in terms of number of beds offered and market valuation.

However, Minister Bartlett outlined that Airbnb and other digitally-operated travel platforms, should not be feared by tourism interests locally. In fact, according to statistics provided by Airbnb, the company was responsible for bringing 32,000 tourists to the country in the past year.

“The popularity of Airbnb is not necessarily a bad thing for our hospitality industry. I think we should face the fact that these technology-driven firms are here to stay. They could not be growing rapidly in size and scale to rival some of the world’s largest transportation and hospitality businesses unless there was a demand for the type of services they provide. So, they should be embraced and not feared,” said Minister Bartlett.

“This agreement has been long in coming and will play a key role in our efforts to diversify our tourism product to cater to the passions of a growing demographic. I am confident that our partnership with Airbnb will be a fruitful one which will help to boost arrivals and enable more Jamaicans to participate in the tourism sector,” said Chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, John Lynch.

“We are excited to announce this partnership with the Jamaica Tourist Board. Jamaica is a world class tourist destination that offers visitors a unique experience against a beautiful backdrop. Whether you come to Jamaica for the beaches, the country’s fascinating history and culture, amazing food or warm people, Jamaica has something to offer everyone. We look forward to continuing our work with everyone involved in promoting Jamaica as a top travel destination,” said Shawn Sullivan, Airbnb's Public Policy lead for Central America and the Caribbean.  “Airbnb travelers seek unique and authentic travel experiences and Jamaica offers just that,” he noted.

Under the terms of the memorandum of understanding, there will be regulatory measures in place that will benefit and safeguard Jamaican Airbnb hosts and by extension, the country. It will also take into account destination assurance, by establishing hosting standards and best practices for homestay facilities.

Airbnb is a community marketplace established in 2008. It allows people to list, discover, and book unique short-term accommodations around the world online or from a mobile phone or tablet.

KINGSTON, Jamaica; December 8, 2016:  Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett today (December 08, 2016) officially launched five new networks under its overarching Tourism Linkages Network initiative, to better position the sector to generate higher growth rates, in both visitor arrivals and earnings.

The Tourism Linkages Network was first introduced in 2013 with the primary goal of ensuring that tourism would be better integrated with other sectors. The initial focus was strengthening the relationship with the manufacturing and agricultural sectors as well as the creative industries. The Tourism Linkages Network is spearheaded by a Tourism Linkages Council, Chaired by renowned hotelier Mr. Adam Stewart.
The Council has two main groups which directly foster greater synergy between tourism and the productive sectors namely the Agriculture Technical Working Group and the Manufacturing Technical Working Group.

However the tourism linkages initiative has now been expanded to include five new networks: Gastronomy; Sports and Entertainment; Health and Wellness; Shopping; and Knowledge.
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett shared that the decision to expand the networks was strategic as they will have a fundamental role to play in helping the tourism sector achieve its growth targets.
“If we intend to attract five million visitors by 2021; generate $5 billion in tourism earnings, increase the total direct jobs to 125,000 and add 15,000 new hotel rooms, then we must put in place the framework to foster the growth of this sector. So, the networks being introduced today will aid in transforming the sector, deepen linkages and achieve significant growth,” said Minister Bartlett.

The Minister also indicated that the timing of the launch was significant, as recently released figures from the Jamaica Tourist Board, indicate that the country’s tourism sector is performing very well.
He revealed that Jamaica has registered growth of over 5% in both tourism earnings and visitor arrivals. Specifically, from January to October 2016, the island registered an increase of 5.2 percent in total visitor arrivals over the same period last year, with 3,101,920 total visitors. For winter 2017, the destination also secured in excess of 4,000 new air seats from the United States over last winter. Over 1,000 new rooms are also expected to be added in 2017.

“There is no doubt that this is a very strong performance for the island’s tourist industry. But, there is still a lot of work to be done. This is why the new networks we have developed are vital,” said Minister Bartlett.
Each network, which is chaired by a member of the Tourism Linkages Council, has already prepared detailed programmes and projects which were specifically chosen to add value to the Jamaican tourism sector, particularly as it relates to increasing visitor arrivals and spend.

Among the proposed plans for the networks are: the creation of a gastronomy mobile application; the development of a top ten events initiative to help drive entertainment locally; the development of nutraceuticals (such as Ball Moss, Ginger and Marijuana); developing a central information repository and an online tourism knowledge portal and identifying areas to be designated as shopping areas.