Jamaica and Cuba Continue Talks to Strengthen Tourism Ties

Potential MOU for Multi-destination Tourism between Jamaica and Cuba

Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, (see left in the photo) presents an autographed copy of “Tourism Resilience and Recovery for Global Sustainability and Development – Navigating COVID-19 and the Future” to newly appointed Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Fermín Gabriel Quiñones Sanchéz (seen right in the photo) during a recent introductory/courtesy dinner meeting at New Kingston’s Spanish Court Hotel. Looking on is the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Jennifer Griffith.

The book was edited by Minister Bartlett and Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre.

During the meeting, they discussed the activation of a Memorandum of Understanding for Multi-destination Tourism signed in 2016, implementation of which was delayed in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ministry of Tourism has intensified its efforts to activate multi-destination tourism agreements with key bilateral partners in the region, including Mexico, Panama, Cuba, Dominican Republic and Colombia, which will provide visitors with an opportunity to experience different destinations and satisfy their diverse passion points on one travel itinerary. Multi-destination tourism is considered a prime vehicle for the recovery and continued success of the tourism sector. 

The Jamaica Ministry of Tourism and its agencies are on a mission to enhance and transform Jamaica’s tourism product, while ensuring that the benefits which flow from the tourism sector are increased for all Jamaicans. To this end it has implemented policies and strategies that will provide further momentum for tourism as the engine of growth for the Jamaican economy. The Ministry remains committed to ensuring that the tourism sector makes the fullest contribution possible to Jamaica’s economic development given its tremendous earning potential.

At the Ministry, they are leading the charge to strengthen the linkages between tourism and other sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and entertainment, and in so doing encourage every Jamaican to play their part in improving the country’s tourism product, sustaining investment, and modernizing and diversifying the sector to foster growth and job creation for fellow Jamaicans. The Ministry sees this as critical to Jamaica’s survival and success and has undertaken this process through an inclusive approach, which is driven by the Resort Boards, through wide-scale consultation.

Recognizing that a collaborative effort and a committed partnership between the public and private sectors will be needed to achieve set targets, central to the Ministry’s plans is maintaining and nurturing its relationship with all key stakeholders. In so doing, it is believed that with the Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development as a guide and the National Development Plan – Vision 2030 as a benchmark – the Ministry’s goals are achievable for the benefit of all Jamaicans.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Telephone: 920-4924,

Fax: 906-1729

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