GREETINGS FROM MINISTER OF TOURISM HON. EDMUND BARTLETT, CD, MP AT THE OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE 50TH JAMAICA OPEN GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP HALF MOON GOLF CLUB, MONTEGO BAY WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017

Salutations:

·       It gives me great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to the many players, officials, family members and friends gathered here in beautiful Montego Bay for the 50^th staging of the Jamaica Open Golf Championship – without question one of the most prestigious events on the Caribbean golf calendar.

·       As a destination we are pleased to be hosting this premier golf tournament, which promises four days of incredible golf as players battle on the greens for titles, trophies and other awards.

·       And what better place to tee off than Half Moon’s award-winning championship golf course. You get to play on one of the best walking courses in the Caribbean at one of the world’s finest resorts, surrounded by spectacular ocean and mountain views.

·       Jamaica is one of the premier golf destinations in the Caribbean with a rich variety of quality courses which offer challenging drives and breathtaking vistas.

·       Add to this our fine luxury golf resorts, our diverse culture, the warm hospitality of the Jamaican people, our music, our food and you have the makings of a great golf vacation.

·       Through the Ministry of Tourism’s new Sports and Entertainment Network we are taking strategic steps to market Jamaica as a top sports tourism destination to the world to attract a broader group of international travellers with diverse interests.

·       As it relates to golf in particular, my Ministry is putting in place initiatives to leverage our strong positioning as a golf destination to attract golf visitors to the Island and capture a slice of the world's $25 billion a year golf tourism market. With our neighbours and main visitor source market – the United States – arguably accounting for 90 percent of global golf travel, this should not be too difficult to do.

·       Jamaica’s global brand recognition in sports and tourism, combined with the significant development of our local golf facilities should give us a strong foothold in the golf tourism niche.

·       Since 2015, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has allocated approximately $93.6 million for the upgrade of infrastructure and the procurement of equipment for the maintenance of greens at the Constant Spring, Caymanas and Manchester Golf Clubs as well as the hosting of the Jamaica Open 50^th Anniversary Golf Championship, to which we have committed $10 million.

·       The procurement of the equipment was concluded in 2016 with all Golf Clubs receiving various types of mowers, tractors and their accessories for the maintenance and upkeep of the greens at the facilities. 

·       So you can see that we are committed to partnering with tourism partners and other stakeholders to formulate new strategies and build out quality facilities that enhance Jamaica’s appeal as an exceptional golf destination.

·       I wish to commend the Jamaica Golf Association, President Peter Chin, supporting partners and the team of volunteers for their great work in organizing the Jamaica Open Golf Championship and wish you a very successful tournament.

·       As avid golfers it may be difficult to pull yourselves away from the excitement of the tournament but I encourage those who are visiting Jamaica to take time out to explore all that our wonderful island has to offer, including savouring our cuisine and the wide variety of attractions.

Thank you.