Bartlett Elected to UNWTO Executive Council

Jamaica has improved its standing on the world tourism stage with its selection as a candidate to the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for 2023-2027.

Minister Bartlett will represent the Americas region and will sit on the prestigious decision-making council which consists of a total of 159 countries as member states of the UNWTO.

In celebrating the achievement, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett said, “Jamaica has been among the top-performing countries in the Americas leading a robust recovery in travel and tourism. Being elected alongside Colombia to represent our regional colleagues is an incredible honour, and we look forward to contributing wholesomely to the organization’s thrust to promote tourism as a driver of sustainable economic growth for developing nations especially.”

“We are thrilled by the expression of confidence our fellow member states have shown. I continue to invite deeper collaboration among regional partners as we work to build resilience regionally and internationally. We are among the most tourism-dependent regions in the world, and it is imperative that our views are represented at the highest level,” added the tourism minister.

Columbia was also voted to sit on the Executive Council. Jamaica and Columbia will add a strong Caribbean perspective and discourse to the UNWTO.

Jamaica was elected to the UNWTO Executive Council yesterday at the Commission of the Americas (CAM) 68th meeting in Quito, Ecuador.

The Minister of Tourism was extremely pleased about the election after a 4-year hiatus from the UN World Tourism Organization. Conversely, this is a real coup for UNWTO as Jamaica is a country that is literally teaching the world about important areas of tourism.

With the Jamaica Minister of Tourism sitting as a member of the UNWTO Executive Council, this means a wealth of resources and information has been brought to the table.

Mr. Bartlett is Co-Chair of the Board of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC). The ultimate goal of the Centre is to assist destination preparedness, management, and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.

This much-needed initiative in the form of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre bodes extremely for UNWTO as it celebrates UN Tourism Resilience Day every February 17. The UN General Assembly in resolution A/RES/77/269 proclaims the need to foster resilient tourism development to deal with shocks, taking into account the vulnerability of the tourism sector to emergencies.

Other decisions arising from the meeting include the Dominican Republic’s selection to serve as President of the Regional Commission for Americas for 2023-2025. Argentina and Paraguay have been selected to serve as Vice-Presidents of CAM for the same period as well as for the UNWTO General Assembly to be held in October. 

Minister Bartlett has been participating in a series of panels, presentations and seminars focused on tourism investment trends and opportunities in the Americas. A highlight of the 68^th CAM was the Investment Seminar that explored the promotion of investments through technical cooperation, building capacity for tourism development and accessing financing that accelerates climate resilience in the regional sector.

It was agreed that Cuba would host the 69^th CAM scheduled for 2024.

The Executive Council is responsible for the management and implementation of strategic decisions carried out by the UNWTO.

SEEN IN IMAGE:  Minister Edmund Bartlett shares lens with (from left to right) Niels Olsen, Minister of Tourism of Ecuador; Sofía Montiel de Afara, Minister of Tourism, Paraguay; and Carlos Andrés Peguero, Vice Minister of Tourism, Dominican Republic moments before the announcement of his election to the UNWTO Executive Council. – image courtesy of Jamaica Tourism Ministry

MEDIA CONTACT: Corporate Communications Division, Ministry of Tourism, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Telephone: 920-4924, Fax: 920-4944 – OR – Kingsley Roberts, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Ministry of Tourism, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, ext.: 5990, Cell: (876) 505-6118, Fax: 920-4944