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Global Tourism Resilience Centre provides relief for Bahamas

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Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett today handed over US$50 thousand to Director General of the Bahamas Tourism and Aviation Ministry, Mrs. Joy Jibrilu at the second Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCM) Board of Governors Meeting in London today.

The money forms part of the overall relief fund established by the GTRCM to support tourism-ravaged economies impacted by disruptions such as natural disasters and pandemics.


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Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm, hit the Bahamas last month as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall. The storm caused widespread flooding and destruction.

“This donation symbolizes the Centre’s commitment to assisting tourism-dependent states that are vulnerable to disruptions to recover and rebound. Two islands of the Bahamas suffered much damage from the passage of hurricane Dorian and still needs support to rebuild and this contribution will go towards that,” said Minister Bartlett.

In collaboration with the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), the GTRCM is providing US$100,000 in support of the tourism ravaged economies of the Bahamas and other areas in the Caribbean that may be impacted in the future. The JHTA has contributed US$20,000 to assist in relief efforts through the United Nations World Tourism Organization and the GTRCM.

In accepting the donation, Director General, Mrs. Jibrilu said “On behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and Aviation and Government of the Bahamas, I am pleased to accept this contribution which will help with our recovery and rebuilding efforts. This show of support is deeply appreciated and shows the importance of collaboration on issues of disaster and crisis management.”

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The fund will also go towards the commissioning of a baseline study to assess the vulnerabilities of the Caribbean to major disruptions such as hurricanes, pandemics and epidemics and building capacity to deal with them.

“Global trends show that given the dynamic and devastating nature of these disruptions, building resilience to predict, manage and recover from these disruptions has become even more critical and that is what the GTRCM has been established to do,” added Minister Bartlett.

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre’s mission includes assisting global tourism destinations with destination preparedness, management, and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.

Read more news about Jamaica here.

Statement from the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre on the Passage of Super-Typhoon Hagibis

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The recent passage of Typhoon Hagibis last week was a stark reminder of the urgent need for resilient societies effectively prepared to confront historic storms and extreme weather events.

The consequent loss of over 70 lives and disruption to daily activities with over 5,000 persons in shelters; 230,000 evacuees ahead of the storm; over 9,960 homes flooded, thousands of homes without electricity and water; and cancellation of World Rugby Cup 2019 matches highlight a few of the focus areas for immediate action in crafting resilience policies – energy, water, housing, transportation, health and sports tourism.

Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCM), stands ready to advance on discussions to establish a satellite center of the GTRCM in Japan as both countries have a wealth of expertise, good practices and experiences in effectively managing the aftermath of natural disasters.

In a letter to the Tourism Minister of Japan, Hon. Keiichi Ishii, the Co-Chairman of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says, “I express deepest sympathies with you, the people and Government of Japan following the passage of super typhoon Hagibis which has claimed more than 70 lives and caused widespread destruction in its wake.”

The trajectory and intensity of Typhoon Hagibis caused record rainfall in Tokyo with severe flooding as more than twenty rivers in the central and northeastern Japan had burst their banks. The repeated historic records of these natural disasters demand that resilience discussions and efforts be innovative and forward thinking to brace against nature’s exponential increase in intensity and impact.

The establishment of satellite centers in countries such as Japan which have a track record of effectively responding to and recovering from natural disasters and other disruptions to sustainable development will enhance the growing body of research and innovative solutions to “build back better”.

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, launched earlier this year, was established to  assist global tourism destinations with destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that impact tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally, include climate and seismic events.

For more information on Jamaica, click here.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre to establish 5 Satellite Centers in Africa

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Jamaica Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCM) will be establishing satellite centers in Kenya, Seychelles, South Africa, Nigeria, and Morocco to expand their reach within the continent.

This agreement emanated from discussions held in the margins of the 23rd session of the UNWTO General Assembly, currently taking place in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Satellite Centres will focus on regional issues and will share information in Nano time with the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre. They will then function as think tanks to develop possible solutions.

Each Minister has the responsibility of identifying a university in their respective countries, to collaborate with the University of the West Indies and by extension the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre.

Relevant memoranda of understanding are also being finalized to facilitate this agreement, beginning with the satellite Centre in Kenya.

This comes on the heels of President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta’s assumption as Honorary Co-Chair of the GTRCM for Africa last month.

President Kenyatta joins the esteemed ranks of Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness and Her Excellency, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, former President of Malta, who are also GTRCM honorary co-chairs.

The Governments of Jamaica and the Republic of Kenya also recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to broaden cooperation in tourism. Among the many areas listed in the framework for cooperation are the promotion of safe, ethical and sustainable tourism; collaboration on addressing risk related to tourism resilience and crisis management, through research and development, policy advocacy and communication management, and training and capacity building.

While in Russia, the Minister has been championing the efforts of the GTRCM.  He used his platform to address the General Assembly to speak about the disruptions in the Caribbean, with particular focus on the Bahamas and its recent experience with Hurricane Dorian. His speech was welcomed by the UNWTO General Assembly, which in turn has expressed solidarity with the government and people of the Bahamas.

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, which was first announced in 2017, operates in a global context that is characterized by not only new challenges, but also new opportunities for tourism in an effort to improve the tourism product as well as to ensure the sustainability of tourism globally. The ultimate purpose of the Centre is to assist destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that impact tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.

The Minister and his delegation are expected to return from Russia on September 14, 2019.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Bartlett calls for global support for hurricane-impacted Bahamas

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Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett today urged members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly to express solidarity with the Government and people of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, following the passage of Hurricane Dorian.

Addressing the members of the 23rd Session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Saint Petersburg, Russia, the Minister said, “The Bahamas is a key partner in the UNWTO network and served as chair of the Americas. We think this General Assembly should take note of the current situation there and resolve to offer all the support that is possible to ensure a speedy and effective recovery.

I further call upon the UNWTO to support in the reconstruction process with a focus on ‘building back better’ and thriving which is the essence of resilience.”

In his official address, the Minister also stated The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, located at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, stands ready to serve as a vehicle of implementation for the collective efforts of the UNWTO.

“It is real experiences such as this that inspired the establishment of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre. For decades, we have championed resilience in words, now is the time to act,” said the Minister.

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre’s mission includes assisting global tourism destinations with destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.

He also noted that resilience efforts for the tourism sector should be founded on effective crisis communication to build awareness and public education for informed messaging.

The UNWTO is an agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism. It includes members from 158 countries, 6 territories and over 500 affiliate members from the private sector. It also offers leadership and support to the sector in advancing knowledge and tourism policies worldwide.

The Minister also used the opportunity to invite the members of the General Assembly to further show their support for the Bahamas by booking their next vacation to the island.

“We emphasize and reiterate the position of the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, that indeed the best way to support the Bahamas is to visit the Bahamas as a tourist.

The Minister and his delegation are expected to return from Russia on September 14, 2019.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4926-30, Fax: 920-4944

FCM launches Marketplace travel content gateway

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FCM Travel Solutions  has created Marketplace, a virtual gateway to the travel management company’s extensive proprietary and specially-negotiated airfares, hotel rates, car rental, and rail booking options. The move underpins FCM’s approach to giving customers access to the widest choice of business travel content via multi-channel online and offline sources from across its global network.

A key driver within Marketplace is FCM’s team of over 500 global travel procurement specialists, one of the largest content teams in the travel industry. Each team member is responsible for a specific sector of supplier relations, from air and hotel to rail and ground transport and has at least 10 years’ experience in supplier negotiations. The team leverages FCM parent company Flight Centre Travel Group’s global stature, which includes US$11 billion air revenue and 5 million rail transactions, to ensure customers gain the best savings and tailored content for their travel program.

As a result of the team’s negotiation power, FCM clients have access to specialist fares from 420 airline partners, 112 global rail providers, and car hire deals in 97 countries. The expertise of FCM’s procurement team, combined with that of dedicated travel consultants managing individual booking requirements, results in an average saving of 12 percent on air tickets within FCM clients’ global travel programs. In terms of hotels, Marketplace offers 20 million room rates including 5M negotiated rates at 650,000 properties globally and 2.3M exclusive promotional room night rates at 60 hotel brands worldwide. This unrivaled range of travel content options is available to FCM customers via any of the travel management company’s booking channels including online booking tool Seeqa or offline via their dedicated travel consultant.

“Travel content is vast and covers a huge array of choice which can be confusing for the corporate customer,” explains Mick Heitzinger, Product Director, FCM EMEA “Travel buyers are frequently concerned about whether they are getting the best value, the widest choice of air content, hotel rates, and so on, in order to achieve cost-savings and ROI on their travel program. At FCM, we have recognized the need to deliver all types of travel content from multiple sources in a way that the corporate wants to see it and consume it, whether manager, traveler or booker.

“At the same time, the distribution landscape is becoming increasingly fragmented as new entrants have disrupted the market and online travel agents have added confusion. This has added complexity and cost to corporates,” continued Heitzinger. “Travel managers and procurement directors want to ensure that they have the best fare or rate. They want price parity across channels. They want choice for their travelers and be safe in the knowledge that they can capture data from all bookings made outside of corporate channels in order to satisfy the duty of care. Ultimately, they want content in one place.

“Not only does Marketplace give our customers access to FCM’s exclusive and vast range of global content all in one place, but it also embraces disrupters and new entrants to the distribution landscape to ensure our customers have full availability and visibility. Our core purpose with Marketplace is to provide our customers with the widest travel content in a way that no other TMC can so that they benefit from unparalleled choice and savings,” said Heitzinger.

Source: www.fcmtravel.com

Media Contact: vanessa.aves@flightcentre.co.uk