Health and Wellness Key to Driving Tourism Industry Post COVID – Bartlett
Health and wellness tourism has been identified as a key area that will help to drive growth in the Jamaica tourism industry moving forward, in light of the new norm created in the global travel and hospitality market, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This position was outlined by Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett at the opening of the two-day Jamaica Health and Wellness Tourism Conference now underway at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. This is the second such conference being hosted by the Tourism Linkages Network, a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), and with physical attendance restricted by COVID-19 protocols, this year’s event is being streamed live to online participants.
Minister Bartlett said: “Health and Wellness will become one of the key cornerstones for destination differentiation in our tourism marketing. This is primarily because the new demographic emerging, Gen C, are going to be the new drivers of travel and they are going to require destinations that have strong health security properties.”
He noted that the Jamaican people are key players in the new thrust. “This is one of the reasons why we are going to be focusing heavily on building the capacity of our people to better take care of themselves and also to provide those elements of care that are going to be fitting the need that the visitors have when they come to the country,” said the Tourism Minister.
He proffered that the coronavirus pandemic has provided a new opportunity in the health and wellness tourism arena while also creating great demand for the island to be more pristine by making a greater investment in destination assurance. “Jamaica is going to have to establish itself as a destination where the confidence that the visitor wants, that he is going to be safe and secure, and he will have a seamless experience, is never second guessed,” underscored Minister Bartlett.
He says Jamaica’s tourism marketing will focus heavily on that as it seeks to woo back hundreds of thousands of visitors whose travel plans have been derailed since February this year by the pandemic. In that regard, Mr. Bartlett disclosed that an international team has begun work on Jamaica’s Destination Assurance Policy which will become the guiding light for the country’s own strategies to ensure better management of the destination.
The new tourism marketing thrust is supported by President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Clifton Reader who said “coming out of COVID-19 there will be a great demand, especially for older people travelling; they have the money to travel and they are going to bring their families, but, of course, they have preexisting conditions.”
Stating that health and wellness tourism was a very lucrative US billion dollar industry, Mr. Reader said: “When you look at the economic viability of this area, it is tremendous and Jamaica is so poised with all the facilities we have.” The JHTA president also said it was very important that through collaboration with government and private stakeholders, that the medical facilities within Jamaica be developed to attract more travelers.
#rebuildingtravel
MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications Division, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4924, Fax: 906-1729
Christmas in Malta Comes to Washington DC
In July, the Ministry for National Heritage, Arts and Local Government of the Republic of Malta partnered with Museum of the Bible to host an exhibition contest of handcrafted Nativities from artists of the island nation of Malta and its sister island, Gozo. Now, 10 finalists have been selected to have their Nativity scenes displayed at the museum as part of the Christmas in Malta exhibition.
“The high level of quality of the cribs submitted for this competition testifies to the dedication and craftsmanship of the Maltese and Gozitan crib-artists,” a Malta Winds article noted. “An expert jury chose the cribs to be sent to Washington, DC. These cribs offer very varied themes, with some incorporating the Maltese landscape as part of the crib structure. Some of the crib-artists have even decorated their crib with original statues.”
The apostle Paul is credited with bringing the gospel to Malta (Acts 28) around A.D. 60. For centuries, the people of Malta and Gozo have celebrated Christmas by crafting Nativity cribs for display in homes, outside and in churches. According to Keith Azzopardi, ambassador of Malta to the United States of America, the earliest known Maltese Nativity was built at the Dominican Friars Church in Rabat, Malta, in 1617. The Nativity-building tradition in Malta began to flourish during the 1800s and early 1900s.
“Through this exhibition, we are providing the opportunity for Maltese and Gozitan artists, works, and craftsmanship to be recognized for their intrinsic cultural and religious value around the world,” said José Herrera, minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government of Malta. “The exhibition is certain to generate interest in religious tourism and Maltese expression of Roman Catholic worship traditions.”
Select Image of finalists in the handcrafted Nativity scenes from Malta on display at the Museum of the Bible
The 10 finalists will be displayed at the museum from Nov. 16, 2020, through March 2021.
Museum visitors and social media followers are invited to select the winning Nativity. Votes may be cast in person at the exhibit or online via museum Instagram and Facebook pages.
The first-place Nativity will become a permanent part of the Museum of the Bible’s collections, and the nine other finalists will continue to be showcased in exhibitions in Malta and globally through 2021.
“We are excited to showcase these beautiful Maltese and Gozitan Nativity scenes at the museum,” said Jeffrey Kloha, Ph.D., chief curatorial officer for Museum of the Bible. “I believe visitors will enjoy seeing how the Christmas story is told through this rich tradition. Again, we give special thanks to His Excellency, Ambassador Azzopardi, for helping to bring these Nativities to the Museum of the Bible.”
Additionally, Malta President George Vella gifted the Museum of the Bible copies of the first printing of the Bible in Maltese. Ambassador Azzopardi presented the Bibles Thursday, Oct. 29, during an event hosted at the Museum of the Bible as a prelude to the Nativity exhibition.
More information on the Museum of the Bible is available here.
About Malta
The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere. Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sights and the European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious, and military architecture from the ancient, medieval, and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife, and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do. For more information on Malta, visit www.visitmalta.com.
#rebuildingtravel
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Malta Tourism Authority – North America
Michelle Buttigieg
P 212 213 0944
F 212 213 0938
E-mail: michelle-margaret.buttigieg@visitmalta.com
MTA US/Canada Editorial Contact:
The Bradford Group
Karen Hoffman/Gabriela Reyes
Tel: (212) 447-0027
Fax: (212) 725 8253
E-mail: visitmalta@bradfordglobalmarketing.com
Condor Colors Return to the Seychelles Islands
Some 224 visitors from Germany and its surroundings disembarked in Seychelles as Condor airlines made a special return to paradise Seychelles, on Saturday, November 14, 2020.
The airline operated a special charter in collaboration with DER Touristik, a German tour operator, the Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) and Mason’s Travel in the aim to ignite the spark for Seychelles for visitors in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Working in partnership with the STB and Mason’s Travel, DER Touristik- prominent European tour operators and a market leader for long haul travel in Germany, Austria and Switzerland- gave the honor to Seychelles to be the first destination for such a charter since March.
Ensuring the success of this venture, sixteen local accommodation partners joined the project and created various attractive packages, which included special honeymoon packages for newlyweds, a booming market segment for the pristine paradise.
In line with the new travel prerequisites to enter Seychelles, the various packages included a travel health insurance required for entry with Covid-19 coverage and the super carefree package from DER Touristik, which protects holidaymakers in the event of Covid-19 related incident. Travelers were allowed to cancel their trip free of charge up to 14 days before departure.
The collaboration carries hope for the local tourism industry, as the operated Condor charter was a fully booked one with passengers excited to be away from the confined cities to experience the mystical beauty of the islands until their return flight on November 21, 2020.
Speaking about the special flight to Seychelles, the STB Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis mentioned her satisfaction to see the interest of the visitors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“Our collaboration with Mason’s Travel, Condor, DER Touristik is in anticipation of the resumption of the Condor flights at the end of the year. We are glad to see that the interest of our visitors and partners from the market is still present. Germany remains a very important market for Seychelles and as such, is vital that we remain very close with our partners,” said Mrs. Francis.
On his part, Mr. Christian Zerbian, STB representative on the German market stated his satisfaction to see the response of the visitors from that market to the offer.
“This is a definitely a very positive outcome of the efforts invested these past few months. There is still a lot of potential for this market to produce even more and we are striving to make the return on Condor on the Seychelles route beneficial for the destination,” said the STB Representative in Germany.
Safety has become pivotal to rebuilding confidence in the travel industry, through this partnership between the destination, airline, hotels and DMCs, traveler safety remains central throughout the entire travel chain starting from departure extending throughout their stay.
Condor is expected to resume flights to Seychelles on December 18, 2020, with a direct weekly flight from Frankfurt.
#rebuildingtravel
MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel
New Seychelles Minister for Tourism takes Office
The Seychelles Islands welcomes its new Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, Ambassador Sylvestre Radegonde.
Appointed by President of the Republic Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan early this month, the new minister was sworn-in his position on Monday, November 16, 2020, at State House. Minister Radegonde thereafter headed to his new offices at Maison Queau de Quincy at Mont- Fleuri.
Minister Radegonde has a history in the tourism sector, serving as the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board from March 2005 to February 2006.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism called on staff at the Seychelles Tourism Board Headquarters and Department of Tourism at Botanical House for a familiarization visit, allowing him to briefly interact with the various staff present.
Commenting on his visit, the Tourism Minister stated his satisfaction to have an opportunity to be part of this important industry for Seychelles.
Speaking in regards to his new appointment, Minister Radegonde said that Diplomacy also encompasses the promotion of the destination and that during this pandemic it is essential to join resources, emphasizing this by stating that the Embassies and STB should work together whenever possible.
He further elaborated that the promotion of Seychelles will be a priority of the Embassies.
Additionally, he made note that the 3 institutions; STB, Foreign Affairs and Department of Tourism; possess a competent, driven workforce which his ministry aims to continuously motivate and support during this difficult climate.
The Minister will be meeting with the individual institutions; STB, Foreign Affairs and Department of Tourism; in staff meetings during the week to share and discuss his vision.
Before he was appointed Minister, Hon. Radegonde was based in Paris for the past 3 years, where he formerly served as Seychelles appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France.
Minister Radegonde holds a Masters in Diplomatic Studies from the University of Westminster and has an extensive background in International Relations, Political Affairs and Diplomacy.
Minister Radegonde is married and has three sons.
#rebuildingtravel
MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, stbnews@seychelles.travel
Jamaica Tourism Minister Addresses Pandemic in Travel and Tourism
Jamaica Tourism Minister Bartlett, who recently received the Tourism Heroes award from the World Tourism Network, addressed this morning the Tourism Recovery discussion hosted by EU Commissioner Elena Kountoura.
Here is a transcript of his speech:
Global travel and tourism have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The UNWTO reported a 65% drop in international tourist arrivals in the first six months of 2020. In 2020, the global travel and tourism market is predicted to experience a loss of 121 million jobs worldwide and USD 3,435 billion in global GDP. Evidently, the sector is facing a crisis of historic proportions with no clear timeline for a return to normalcy in sight. The pandemic has elicited various responses from destinations globally to generally mitigate the economic fallout and prepare for recovery in the post covid19 era. One of the foremost responses has been for tourism stakeholders to pay closer attention to their frameworks for building confidence in their destination security during this period of heightened anxiety and uncertainty. After the initial period of border closures, which brought international tourism to a halt, many destinations, beginning in May/June, began to roll out plans for controlled reopening that generally emphasized reassuring international tourists that it was safe to visit. This has meant a heightened focus on health and safety protocols.
In the initial reopening phase, some destinations limited the reopening of tourism to domestic visitors and between specific countries, through the introduction of a “travel bubble” that allowed tourists to travel feely between two countries which have both recorded relatively low deaths from covid-19, before gradually opening up to international tourists. Other destinations have developed comprehensive health and safety protocols. In Jamaica, my ministry introduced our Tourism Industry Post Covid-19 Protocols, which were developed to ensure the safety of the workers in the industry, as well as to build confidence among travelers to adapt to “the new normal” of additional health and hygiene practices. The protocols, which are contained in an 88-page document, cover all segments of the industry including –Airports; Cruise Ports; Accommodations; Attractions; Tourism Transportation Operators; Craft Traders; Water Sports Operators; General Security and Public Safety; and Mega Events. The COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols have been endorsed by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). The protocols have been globally recognized as providing leadership in tourism COVID-19 management arrangements and when fully adhered to, will make Jamaica among the most COVID-19-resilient destinations in the world. Generally, most hotel and resorts island-wide have introduced protocols to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including increased physical distancing, wearing of masks in public places, removal of shared or self-service items, installation of handwashing/sanitisation stations, visible cleaning taking place frequently, and more contactless/tech-based transactions.
We have also introduced the concept of resilient corridors to boost the country’s ability to manage and trace the movement of tourists along controlled corridors of the island. We have strategically planned the reopening stages, first requiring travelers to stay on the resort grounds and now giving them freedom to visit attractions within the Resilient Corridors using transportation approved under the Tourist Board. The Resilient Corridors, which encompass the majority of the island’s tourism regions, provide the opportunity for visitors to enjoy more of the country’s unique offerings, as many coronavirus (COVID-19)-compliant attractions, located along the Corridors, are authorized for visits by the health authorities. The Resilient Corridors will play a key role as the sector continues on the path to recovery.
This crisis has also provided countries with the opportunity to untap hidden sources of resilience. Reduced international travel has forced destinations to pay closer attention to domestic markets which they have traditionally overlooked or underutilized. My ministry recently launched a Rediscover Jamaica campaign, which is an initiative to encourage Jamaicans to take advantage of the country’s many tourism products and attractions through lower-priced staycation packages based on lower rates. The initiative has received tremendously positive reception from locals, with some hotels reporting 60-80 % reservations from locals. As we look to the future many destinations are realizing the benefit of incentivizing local tourism to offset seasonal downturns in international tourist arrivals as well as volatility in the global tourism .
Recovery plans for the post-COVID era are also well-advanced in most countries. As devastating as the pandemic has been, it will not be permanent. Recovery of the tourism sector will, however, not be an automatic, seamless experience. Recovery has to be carefully planned and managed to ensure the desired results. To this end, my ministry has already unveiled a five-point plan for the recovery of the tourism sector which includes developing robust health and safety protocols, increased training for all segments of the tourism sector, building safety and security infrastructure, and acquiring PPE and hygiene tools. This framework is based on public-private sector collaboration consisting of key stakeholders from the tourism sector, the Ministry of Tourism, and Agencies of the Ministry. It will be supported by two Working Teams – one for general tourism and another for cruise tourism – and a Secretariat. These specially -assigned teams will promote a realistic view of the sector’s baseline or starting position; develop scenarios for multiple versions of the future; establish the strategic posture for the sector as well as a broad direction of the journey back to growth; establish actions and strategic imperatives that will be reflected across various scenarios; and establish trigger points to tackle action, which includes a planned vision in a world that is learning to evolve rapidly.
Global responses have also paid attention to the human side of the impact of the pandemic on tourism specifically as it relates to the well-being of displaced workers and the survival of small businesses. At the onset of the pandemic, my ministry entered discussions with commercial banks for them to provide temporary cash-flow support to businesses and consumers in affected sectors through deferral of principal payments, new lines of credit and other measures. We have also provided fiscal stimulus for displaced workers and business through the provision of various grants and cash transfers. Also, to ensure that tourism workers are using this time to develop competencies for the post-covid19 tourism sector, since April, we have been providing 11 free online courses for tourism workers as part of the Government’s thrust to ensure the continued development of employees in the sector. The courses are offered in areas such as laundry attendant, gift room attendant, kitchen steward/porter, public area sanitation, hospitality team leader, certified banquet server, certified restaurant server, Servsafe training in food safety, certified hospitality supervisor, introduction to Spanish, and disc jock (DJ) certification.
To further strengthen the responsiveness of the sector to the current crisis as well as future ones, the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre intends to establish a tool to facilitate reliable measurement of tourism-related risks as well as to ensure that there is a repository of information with policy implications for international tourism. The idea of The Global Tourism Resilience Barometer (GTRB) will ensure that tourism stakeholders will have be access to a centralized instructional and supportive tool that will help them to develop sound policies and identify mechanisms that will help to reverse divisive and disruptive trends that are threatening the sector. This Framework will essentially assist policy makers and stakeholders to determine the level of tourism resilience readiness across countries. Through the framework and index, stakeholders will be able to:
– Determine, through a composite score and ranking, how well a country is doing as it relates to tourism resilience.
– Identify Tourism Resilience gaps across countries and, implement corrective strategies to prepare these countries for various disruptions.
– Enable progress on global tourism resilience to be measured over time.
– Access new insights which will deepen understanding of global tourism resilience by enabling comparisons and facilitating conversations based on broader, long- term considerations rather than some of the usual insular considerations.
I am also proposing a Global Tourism Resilience Fund to equip vulnerable countries to be able to respond, manage, and to then recover and grow after disruptions. The Fund would especially target destinations that are recognized as facing high vulnerability but have insufficient financial capacity to prepare for and recover quickly from disruption.
#rebuildingtravel
MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications Division, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4924, Fax: 906-1729
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival Goes Digital
Convenient Online Masterclasses
For global audiences, the highlight of the event is a diverse series of 34 online masterclasses that viewers can enjoy complimentary of charge. The masterclasses will be live-streamed on WineDineFestival.DiscoverHongKong.com for three consecutive Saturdays and Sundays from November 21 to December 6 and then made available for on-demand viewings as well. They cover a wide range of topics from wine and spirits trends to fine dining, healthy eating, and the art of food plating. Offline experiences for local consumers include special deals and gastronomic events offered by hundreds of dining outlets across Hong Kong to enjoy.
Join in with Cook-along Classes
For an authentic taste of Hong Kong, at-home chefs can livestream a variety of cook-along classes and expand their quarantine cookbooks. Executive Chef Adam Wong of Forum restaurant will instruct viewers how to make his Hong Kong-style fried rice Ah Yat Fried Rice that should not be missed. For those looking to hone their fine dining culinary skills in the kitchen, live demonstrations by celebrated Hong Kong chefs such as two Michelin-starred Shane Osborn of Arcane and Cornerstone and Vicky Cheng of VEA Restaurant & Lounge are a great opportunity to watch and learn new tips and tricks.
Let’s Talk Wine
Oenophiles and wine lovers alike can tune in to the wine talks by Hong Kong-based, internationally-acclaimed critic James Suckling and Master of Wine Debra Meiburg, who will share recommendations on the themes “New Wave Bordeaux” and “The Pacific West” respectively. Suckling will introduce three bottles of affordable new wine from Bordeaux. “Hong Kong is one of the best wine cities in the world, ranking at the same level as London and New York,” Suckling said. “Hong Kong also remains the number one export market for Bordeaux wines. This year’s Festival is going to reach more people around the world, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Gather Round, Ladies!
An all-lady line-up is featured on November 28. Themed Lady’s Talk, five influencers who are shaking up Hong Kong’s food and beverage scene will each host a masterclass to share a unique take on their own expertise. Shirley Kwok, founder of vegan bakery The Cakery, will lead a cook-along class in which viewers can make their own vegan and refined sugar-free Apple Pie. Head Chef Vicky Lau of TATE Dining Room will lead viewers through a live demonstration of how to make Crispy Egg with Mushroom Soup. Certified sake sommelier Jamie Lo, Asia-Pacific’s youngest Master of Wine Sarah Heller, and actress-turned-winemaker Bernice Liu will take participants through their own tastings of sake, champagne, and wine respectively.
Ingenuity and Creativity = Fabulous Festival
“Although the HKTB’s mega events have been suspended for some time, we are drawing on our ingenuity and resources to optimize and adapt promotions against the backdrop of a pandemic,” said HKTB Chairman, Dr. Pang. “That’s why we have decided to resume the staging of mega events and adopt a new ‘online + offline’ format for the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2020. It is a new venture designed for the new normal in which we find ourselves. The HKTB is doing this to ensure people can join this annual event in spite of the pandemic and to help our hard-hit businesses to promote their products and open up new business opportunities in these challenging times.” “Our objective is to continue giving the Hong Kong economy a boost and to send out a positive message to the world that Hong Kong’s can-do spirit and love of life have not been dampened in any way by the pandemic, and that we can use our innovation to stage our signature events while we prepare to welcome visitors back to our city,” added Dr. Pang. The Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival was launched in 2009, after Hong Kong and Bordeaux signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Wine-related Business. The large-scale outdoor event quickly became the talk of the town and was dubbed one of the world’s top 10 international food and wine festivals by Forbes Traveler. For more information about the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2020 and full program of the online masterclasses, please visit WineDineFestival.DiscoverHongKong.com For more information and a schedule of the Online Masterclasses, click here. #rebuildingtravelTourism Linkages Network to Host Major Spa Standards Workshop says Bartlett
As part of efforts to encourage the adoption of national and international standards by spas across the island, the Tourism Linkages Network will be hosting a free two-day Spa Standards Workshop, beginning next Monday, November 16, 2020. The workshop will seek to sensitize the industry about the Linkages Network’s newly developed COVID-19 Safety Manual for Jamaican Spas, which is the first of its kind in the region.
The manual incorporates existing protocols for spas from the Ministry of Tourism’s COVID-19 protocol document as well as the standards outlined by the International Spa Association.
Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, highlighted that: “This year a record 498 persons have registered for the workshop, which will be streamed on the Tourism Enhancement Fund’s social media pages, on November 16 and 17.”
“This is a very important workshop which will include presentations on topics such as: ‘Visioning the Spa Industry through destination integrity and assurance,’ Understanding the requirements of the Spa Standard JS319, as well as a presentation on the new COVID-19 Safety Manual for Spas,” he explained.
The Ministry’s training arm, the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation, will also be collaborating on this initiative to offer Spa Certification training for qualified spa practitioners.
The Spa Standards and Certification program began in 2017, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Jamaica Bureau of Standards and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo). To date, over 250 stakeholders across the island have benefited.
The Tourism Linkages Network will also be hosting its second annual Jamaica Health and Wellness Tourism Conference from Wednesday, November 18 to Thursday, November 19 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, under the theme: “Reset, Reimagine, Restore.”
“The conference will bring together leaders in the health and wellness tourism industry from Jamaica, the Caribbean and around the world for one of the most important conferences on Jamaica’s tourism schedule. This year’s conference will be a hybrid event with limited in person attendance and live streaming via social media, which will bring the activity to the entire global wellness tourism community,” Minister Bartlett outlined.
Additional information on both events can be accessed at: wellnessinja.com
MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications Division, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4924, Fax: 906-1729
Jamaica Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett Wins Gusi Peace Prize
Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, was yesterday awarded the prestigious Gusi Peace prize from the Gusi Foundation of Manila, Philippines.
“I’m greatly honored to be considered by the esteemed Gusi Foundation in this critical period of global history. Certainly, our work with regards to tourism and global resilience has made a mark. I think Jamaica, and certainly all of us who have been in the tourism management business in the island, can feel justly proud that we are being considered and our work is recognized well beyond our shores,” said Minister Bartlett.
The Gusi Foundation is a charitable organization, whose main objective is “to give proper recognition, through the conferment of awards of excellence and distinction, to individuals or groups worldwide who have distinguished themselves as brilliant exemplars of society.”
Specifically, the organizers have noted that these individuals or groups must make exemplary contributions to peace and human rights, in scientific discoveries, politics, academe, performing arts, literature, medicine or physiology, journalism, humanities, physics, chemistry, religion, business and philanthropy, economics and internationalism.
The Award is named after the late Captain Gemeniano Javier Gusi, a World War II veteran who fought against Japanese oppression and became a popular active advocate of human rights.
It is deemed to approximate the honor and respect accorded to the Nobel Peace Prize of Norway, and the Pulitzer of the United States of America.
“I am pleased to accept this award, though virtually, and it is my hope that I will be able to go next to receive it physically in Manilla. On behalf of all of us, this is indeed a very humbling but significant moment in my life and certainly for all of us in tourism,” said the Minister.
Bartlett joins distinguished past laureates such as Jamaican veteran advertiser and diplomat Arnold Foote Jr, who received the honor in 2010; Dr. Isaias Salas Hererra of Costa Rica who received the award in 2016; Jamaican Businessman, Lascelles Chin, awarded in 2017 and Jamaican Humanitarian, Father Richard Ryan Ho Lung, awarded in 2011.
MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications Division, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4924, Fax: 906-1729
Bartlett Joins Discussions on Developing a Global Tourism Recovery Plan
Jamaica Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, recently participated in a global ministerial panel discussion on rethinking the global travel and tourism industry with a comprehensive recovery plan, which encourages innovation and investment to rebuild destinations.
The discussions took place earlier this week during the annual International Tourism and Investment Conference in London, held in partnership with the World Travel Market (WTM), which took place on a virtual platform, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, consequent social distancing and global travel restrictions.
“The aspirational objectives of destinations for recovery in the post-COVID era are increasingly being reflected in the rolling out of comprehensive recovery plans for the tourism sector which seek to leverage the collective power and resources of key stakeholders including: governments, international tourism bodies, hotels, airlines, cruise lines, booking agencies etc.,” said Bartlett.
“Recovery has become almost synonymous with resilience-building. The sector needs to become more adaptable, resilient and agile. This pandemic has presented us with a unique opportunity to transition towards a more balanced tourism as it is anticipated that more international tourists will opt for “sustainable” destinations in the post-COVID era,” he added.
Other Ministers joining the panel included Hon. Nigel Huddleston, Minister of Tourism, UK; Hon. Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Kenya; Hon. Marcelo Álvaro Antônio, Minister of Tourism, Brazil; and Hon. Elena Kountoura, Member of the European Parliament.
Minister Bartlett also reiterated the call for the establishment of a Global Tourism Resilience Fund to equip vulnerable countries to be able to respond, manage, and to then recover and grow after disruptions. The Fund would especially target destinations that are recognized as facing high vulnerability but have insufficient financial capacity to prepare for and recover quickly from disruptions.
“It is also important for policymakers, industry leaders, investors and financial institutions to collaborate more closely to support investments and provide incentives to support product differentiation into areas such as health, wellness and the green economy which are linked to the promotion of more sustainable behaviors and practices by all involved in the tourism value chain,” said Bartlett.
The global tourism investment summit was organized with the goal of helping to accelerate the recovery of travel and tourism businesses and restore travelers’ confidence after the COVID-19 pandemic. It brought together global leading voices and luminaries across different segments to discuss the future of the travel and tourism industry, its challenges, opportunities, financial strategies and mechanisms required to aid its successful recovery.
The three-day summit began on November 9 under the theme: “Invest, Finance and Rebuild the Travel and Tourism Industry.” Bartlett also participated in the resilience panel discussion, on Tuesday November 10, 2020.
#rebuildingtravel
MEDIA CONTACT: Jamaica Ministry of Tourism, Corporate Communications Division, 64 Knutsford Boulevard, Kingston 5, Tel: 920-4924, Fax: 906-1729
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