BRIEF WELCOME BY MINISTER OF TOURISM, THE HON. EDMUND BARTLETT AT THE WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS CARIBBEAN & NORTH AMERICA GALA CEREMONY SANDALS OCHI BEACH RESORT SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016

• On behalf of my Government and people, it is my great pleasure to welcome you to Jamaica and the beautiful town of Ocho Rios for the 2016 World Travel Awards Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony.

• I am delighted that our island is playing host to this prestigious event, which acknowledges, rewards and celebrates excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry and is recognised globally as the ultimate hallmark of quality.

• It is fitting too that we are here this evening at the luxurious Sandals Ochi Beach Resort.  Who better to host a celebration of tourism excellence than one of the pioneers of Caribbean Tourism, Gordon “Butch Stewart’ and his son Adam, whose brilliant leadership has created a chain of resorts that is recognized for excellence around the world.

• Many of you here are probably well aware that the Sandals brand is synonymous internationally with exceptional guest service and a premium product.

• There is no doubt whatsoever that Sandals has been a prime contributor to the excellent performance in the tourism sector that Jamaica is enjoying today.

• Butch...Adam...Thank you for hosting us.

• Ladies and gentlemen, achieving true excellence in tourism takes hard work. We all know that in the hospitality industry, we cannot rest on our laurels.  We must remain on the cutting edge. 

• Today’s travel and tourism industry is very much a ‘buyers market’ where industry players have to compete not only on price but also on service and product quality in order to win their share of tourist spend.

• Excellence is a prerequisite for success and survival in today’s competitive environment. This is so because in the highly competitive tourism industry there are many destinations and tourism entities that offer similar products and services.

• Hence, increasingly it is high-quality service, world-class products and compelling experiences that distinguish one destination or service provider from another and allow for that sustainable advantage.

• Events like the World Travel Awards, which recognize and reward shining examples of tourism excellence, are important to the industry. They keep us on our toes, raise the bar in terms of enhancing visitor experiences and reinforce the value of the tourism industry.

• I wish to congratulate World Travel Awards President & Founder Graham Cooke and his committed team for putting together this spectacular event and thank you for making it Jamaica.

• Tonight, whether you win an award or not, each of you has a right to be proud of your hard-earned achievements.  You are all true stars in this industry.

• Good luck to everyone tonight and have a great evening.

Thank you.