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Jamaica successful in bid to chair UNWTO’s Regional Commission for the Americas

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Jamaica was yesterday selected to chair the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) Regional Commission for the Americas (CAM) for the biennium 2019-2021.

“Jamaica graciously accepts the position of Chairman for the Regional Commission of the Americas and thanks the members for the confidence which has been demonstrated. This is the first time in our history that anyone in the Caribbean has been appointed Chairman of this commission,” said the Minister.


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The elections for the Chairmanship of CAM were held during the organization’s 64th Meeting in Guatemala.

Since 1975, Jamaica has served as Vice-President of the General Assembly on five occasions over the period 1987 – 2011, and has been re-elected twice as a member of the Executive Council, serving as second Vice-Chair in 2012, 1st Vice Chair in 2013 and eventually serving as Chairman of the Executive Council for the period 2014-2015.

In his acceptance speech, the Minister shared that “Jamaica firmly believes that the tourism sector is one that should always be guided by sound policies and has over the years worked assiduously to ensure that this is achieved at both the domestic and international levels.

Jamaica also underscores it commitment to enhancing the capacity of the Americas to plan for and manage a range of global shocks and disruptions that can be destabilizing to the tourism sector.”

He then invited the participation of member countries in the ‘first of its kind’ Global Resilience and Crisis Management Centre which is based at the University of the West Indies in Jamaica.

The Regional Commissions meet once a year to allow Member States to maintain ‎contact with each other and with the UNWTO Secretariat between sessions of the bi-annual General ‎Assembly.

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While in Guatemala, the Minister and his delegation will also participate in the International Seminar on Destination Management, which is taking place under the theme ‘New Challenges, New Solutions.’

The Seminar will discuss current challenges and opportunities facing destination management at national and local levels, including the changing role of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) and the development of smart destinations.

The Minister is accompanied by Miss Kerry Chambers, Senior Director, Policy and Monitoring who will provide technical support. The team will return to the island on May 18, 2019.

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

TEF hosts Culinary Ambassador Training Session for local Taste of the Caribbean competitors

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Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (seen left in the main photo), greets sibling chefs Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau (right) ahead of the ‘Let’s Talk Food’ Culinary Ambassador Training Session with the Rousseau sisters, hosted by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the Tourism Linkages Network.

The workshop was for Junior Culinary ambassadors and select members of the Culinary Federation of Jamaica before they compete in the annual Taste of the Caribbean competition, which will be taking place June 21-25, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Miami. The event took place on Thursday May 9, 2019 at the Summerhouse of the Liguanea Club in Kingston.

In the above photo, Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) and Chairperson of the Tourism Enhancement Fund’s Gastronomy Network, Mrs. Nicola Madden-Grieg, present an official chef jacket and other tokens to the 2018 Chef of the Year, Steveray Smith of the HEART Trust NTA Leap Campus.

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

Minister Bartlett extends condolences to the family of Pishu Chandiram

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Jamaica Minister of Tourism Hon. Edmund Bartlett has expressed deep regret at the passing of tourism and in-bond trade stalwart, Pishu Chandiram.

“I was very saddened to learn about the passing of Pishu Chandiram. I offer my sincere condolences to the Chandiram family and the staff of Bijoux. We will never forget his kindness and invaluable contributions. I pray that the love of those around you provide comfort and peace during this period of grief,” said Minister Bartlett.

Pishu Chandiram grew up in the family business, K Chandiram Limited in Kingston and started his work life in 1951 after graduating from St. Georges College. With the coming together of in-bond merchants in Montego Bay to construct Shoppes of Rose Hall, in 2007 he joined the group and opened Bijoux’s signature store in that centre. 

Today, Bijoux also operates from the Falmouth Cruise Ship Pier, Island Village in Ocho Rios and in Kingston.

He was also among some 56 awardees of the inaugural Golden Tourism Day Ball, held last December, honouring those who have provided at least 50 years of service in the tourism industry. The gala event was organized by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Ministry of Tourism, and will become an annual event that honours industry stalwarts.

“I am so happy we had the opportunity to recently honour Mr. Chandiram  for his commitment to the tourism industry and in particular the in-bond trade for 67 years. His speech that evening was extremely moving, as it showed his commitment to the industry and the passion he had for nation building. May God give him eternal rest and I am certain his legacy will live on for years to come,” said Minister Bartlett.

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

Jamaica Tourism Workers’ Pension Bill to be debated May 21

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The long-awaited Jamaica Tourism Workers’ Pension Bill is one step closer to becoming a reality. This as Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the pension bill will be debated on May 21.

The Bill, which was tabled in the House of Representatives on April 30, when passed, will establish a defined pension scheme for tourism workers and self-employed tourism workers to be known as the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme, from which is to be paid retirement benefits in respect of each member and ancillary benefits for beneficiaries.

“After we have completed the debate, the bill will go to the Senate and the Governor General puts his assent on it, everybody who works in the sector, no matter the category or contract period, will have an equal opportunity to become a member of this pension plan.

When our workers become eligible at sixty-five, they will have a minimum pension of two hundred thousand dollars,” said Minister Bartlett.

The new pension bill will start with an endowment of $1 billion from the Ministry of Tourism, which will be paid in installments and will ensure that immediate benefits accrue to qualified pensioners who have met the vested period of five years.

“I am truly pleased that my ministry is one step closer to establishing a bill that will be a game changer for the sector. For so long, our workers have dedicated their lives to improving the sector without any social security at the end of their tenure and this bill will change that,” added Minister Bartlett.

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

Jamaica’s Tourism Minister charges CHICOS to encourage investment in experiences

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says for the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations Summit (CHICOS) to be truly relevant to the region it must look beyond investments in accommodation and encourage investment in experiential marketing arrangements that will keep the Caribbean competitive and cutting edge at all times.

Minister Bartlett pointed out that while 15,000 rooms are to be constructed in the next five years, “the essence of tourism for the Caribbean is not about building more rooms, it is about building the capacity of the region to absorb the demand that tourism brings.”

“This capacity resides in our ability to invest more in the experiences that are consumed by the visitor because those experiences tend to be local and these local experiences are owned by the people of the region. It is that ownership of the indigenous experiences that allows for the retention of the dollar in our space,” he noted.

The Tourism Minister was giving the main address at the CHICOS press launch yesterday (May 7) at the Terra Nova Hotel, Kingston. The conference, considered a must-attend annual event for anyone interested in tourism and hospitality in the Caribbean, will be held from November 14-15 at Secrets Resorts in Montego Bay.

Pointing out that people travel to fulfil their passions, Minister Bartlett noted that 88% of the world travels for food experiences and 42% of travelers’ total expenditure is on food while 67% of the world travels for shopping experiences. Health and wellness, sport and entertainment and knowledge were some of the other passion points that motivate people to travel.

“So I want to encourage you in planning the conference to pitch the supply side – what the tourist consumes when they get to the destination. Hotel rooms and accommodation are only the places where visitors sleep. The tourist does not travel to sleep. So sleeping is not the issue; the issue is experiences,” Minister Bartlett said, noting that this was how the Ministry was able to increase the tourism dollar retention from 30% to 40.8% in the last three and a half years.

In his address, State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agricultural, Hon. Floyd Green said that while the tourism sector continues to show rapid annual growth, there have also been deliberate and prioritized key initiatives to facilitate local and foreign direct investments to drive growth of the Jamaican economy, including the tourism sector.

One of these initiatives is the National Investment Policy (NIP), which once finalized will act as a comprehensive policy framework to guide the development, administration and monitoring of the investment community. The other initiatives are implementation of the National Business Portal (NBP), an online platform that will house the Business-to-Government (B2G) online interface for all Government entities involved in the investment or business facilitation process as well as a drive to achieve a Top 10 rank in the 2021 Doing Business Report (DBR).

The two-day conference will bring together some 300 regional and international delegates, including governmental representatives, developers, bankers, tourism officials, hotel industry leaders, to explore possibilities for hospitality development in Jamaica and in the wider Caribbean.

Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO) is a planning partner for the conference along with AM Resorts, HVS Global Hospitality Services and Apple Leisure Group. Sponsors include the Jamaica Tourist Board and the Tourism Enhancement Fund.

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