Bartlett to Participate in 26th OAS Inter-American Congress of Tourism Ministers

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, departed the island today for Washington D.C., where he will participate in the 26th Inter-American Congress of Ministers and High Authorities of Tourism, hosted by the Organization of American States (OAS).

Hosted under the theme “Harnessing the Power of Heritage Tourism for Development in the Americas,” the high-level meeting will run from April 3-4, 2025. Minister Bartlett is slated to address the Inaugural Session on Thursday, April 3 alongside the Chair of the Inter-American Council on Integral Development (CIDI), Ambassador Lou-Anne Gilchrist and the OAS Secretary-General, H.E. Luis Almagro.

Minister Bartlett will also deliver a much-anticipated presentation on: Empowering Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Tourism Enterprises (SMTEs) on Friday, April 4. Jamaica is currently the chair of the esteemed OAS Inter-American Committee on Tourism (CITUR) and will hand over the position to a newly elected country, which will be chosen during the congress.

Minister Bartlett’s trip to Washington D.C. will also include a high-level speaking engagement at the George Washington University School of Business, where he will share insights under the theme: Tourism Unleashed: AI, People, and the Future of Global Resilience. The tourism minister noted that the session will focus on the transformative changes within Jamaica’s tourism sector driven by technology and innovative human capital development initiatives like the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

“Jamaica is world-renowned for our rich culture and heritage.”

“Participating in the OAS Congress provides an important platform to discuss the potential of heritage tourism to drive sustainable development and to forge stronger relationships with our regional partners.”

Minister Bartlett added, “At the same time, my engagement at George Washington University allows us to showcase Jamaica’s commitment to developing our human capital in a way that directly benefits the tourism sector and the broader economy.”

During the OAS Congress, Minister Bartlett will join leaders from across the Americas to explore strategies for leveraging cultural and heritage tourism to promote economic growth, preserve traditions, and empower local communities. Discussions will include the role of heritage tourism in building resilient, inclusive economies and the potential for community-based tourism in indigenous and Afro-descendant communities.

Minister Bartlett is scheduled to return to Jamaica on Saturday, April 5, 2025.

Media Contact:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Telephone: 920-4924

Fax: 906-1729

Or

Dr. 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