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Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Bartlett breaks ground for iconic shopping experience

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett yesterday lead in breaking ground at The Shoppes at Rose Hall, signaling the start of the development of Montego Bay’s most iconic shopping experience.

The in-bond shopping mall is undergoing a major transformation and will be rebranded into a new concept reflecting a “Linkages Centre of Excellence” that will showcase the best of Jamaica in various creative ways.

Minister Bartlett welcomed the concept being created to reimagine, repurpose and rebrand the mall, noting, “The new tourism paradigm calls for innovation and the development of concepts such as this to provide elements of authentic Jamaican experiences.”

Mr. Bartlett said, “Shopping is a huge part of the attraction that Jamaica has that is under-utilized, under positioned and under presented, and we think that the cultural values and the cultural assets of Jamaica exemplified in the products manufactured by our own people are at the level where they can be showcased effectively and have world responses.”

He noted, however, that there was an absence of the arena that would enable this level of merchandising and showcasing to provide the impact that it must have.

Jamaica’s tourism is being built on a linkages concept that embraces the pillars of Agriculture & Manufacturing, Gastronomy, Sports & Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Shopping and Knowledge. Minister Bartlett said he is particularly pleased that the centre being developed by the Chandiram family, “Will create an experience to include the best of Jamaican gastronomy, local entertainment, authentic made-in-Jamaica products that showcase the talent of local designers, health and wellness offerings, immortalize outstanding local and international leaders, such as Martin Luther King, who chose Montego Bay as his place of refuge and our first national hero, Marcus Garvey, and   will also be knowledge based.”

Chief Executive Officer of Chandiram Limited, Anup Chandiram, said there was hope despite the setback caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, “there is a rainbow beyond the horizon and we will soon see this in Jamaica’s tourism industry.”

He said his company was creating a product designed to pull visitors out of their all-inclusive hotels. “We want to enhance their experience here in Jamaica so that when they go back home they go on Trip Advisor and speak highly of beautiful Jamaica.”

The new experience is being developed in phases with the first phase set for completion in time for the 2020/21 winter tourism arrivals. Completion is expected in 2021.

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

Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica and Jamaica Tourism Minister Meet

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Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Her Excellency Laurie Peters (see left in the photo) on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, paid a courtesy call on Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, at the Ministry’s New Kingston offices. 

During the meeting, Minister Bartlett thanked the Ambassador for her contribution in strengthening relations between Jamaica and Canada. He also engaged her in discussions on the development of a possible “air bridge” to ease travel between Jamaica and Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Following their discussions, the Minister presented her with a token of appreciation.

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

Minister Bartlett committed to ensuring tourism entities are COVID compliant

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Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has indicated his commitment to ensuring that tourism entities, especially the small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs), are COVID compliant.

Minister Bartlett, who gave the assurance during a recent tour of tourism entities in Hanover and Westmoreland, said: “My Ministry in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, has been devising initiatives to ensure that all stakeholders particularly the small and micro enterprises are COVID compliant.

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), through the Linkages Network, has been at the forefront of ensuring that these small players in the sector have the gadgetry and personal protective gear available to them.”

The Tourism Linkages Network (TLN) has been donating tourism protective kits, that include infrared thermometers, touchless hand sanitizers, touchless garbage bins, buckets retrofitted with pipes as well as masks.

“These protective kits, which are valued at J$20Million, will be distributed across the island to 500 small tourism entities, such as the vendors who sell fish and bammy at the border of Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth, to ensure they are operating within COVID guidelines.

This is part of our overall product assurance, so visitors and locals feel confident that what they are buying is safe, especially in this new COVID-19 era,” added Minister Bartlett.

SMTEs, through a mixture of loans and grants facilitated by the TEF and its partners, have also been given a lifeline with access to over J$ 2 Billion in funding to help them retool and rebound amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

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

Minister Bartlett pleased with COVID-19 protocol compliance in Westmoreland

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett says he is satisfied with the level of compliance with established COVID-19 protocols among tourism entities in the parish of Westmoreland.

“I’m very pleased with what I have seen,” said Minister Bartlett following an extensive tour recently to examine large and small hotels and villas and concluding that: “The properties are fully compliant.”

The tour, was the latest in a series of onsite inspections of properties located along COVID-19 Resilient corridors led by Minister Bartlett to examine properties that are certified in terms of requirements under Jamaica’s health and safety protocols. The tour entailed stops at Riu Palace Tropical Bay and Rondel Village in Negril as well as Zimbali Culinary Retreats; Bluefields Bay Villas and Whitehouse. The Minister also handed over an ambulance valued at $18 million to the Negril Fire Station, which was financed by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).

Defending the push to reopen the industry while managing the coronavirus, Mr Bartlett said Jamaica wanted to establish that health security was at the foundation of the country’s tourism destination assurance framework. He is pleased that in this regard, “Jamaica has excelled and I’m excited at how the rest of the world is looking at us and viewing the way in which we have managed this pandemic.”

The Minister said there was a determination “to make sure that tourism toes the line” and supported the call by the Ministry of Health & Wellness that if there are constant cases of breaches “that we must take action, and strong action and we are at the forefront of seeing to it that that happens.”

Minister Bartlett also expressed delight that tourism would soon have a COVID security insurance plan, noting that: “We are in the closing stages of it now and hopefully within the next few weeks we will be able to have the first of that programme established.” This insurance is to provide another layer of coverage to Destination Jamaica, while ensuring that visitors are compliant, in a cost-effective manner.

In response to calls for Jamaica to diversify its economy and not be so heavily dependent on tourism for economic sustainability, Minister Bartlett agreed but pointed out that: “We see tourism in the context of driving a wider and deeper, bigger market for production of goods and services through linkages.”

He highlighted the value of a tourism economy having a huge link with various areas of economic activity, citing for instance: “If we bring more visitors to Jamaica, it means an expanded market for more agricultural produce, for instance, requiring larger plantations or more technologically advanced methods that produce higher quality and greater levels of output, then employ more people and generates more.”

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

Jamaica Tourism Minister to Hospitality: Comply or shut down

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has warned that tourism entities that fail to comply with health and safety protocols designed to facilitate the phased reopening of the tourism sector, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will be shut down.

Speaking at the Golf View Hotel in Manchester, during a tour of the newly opened South Coast Resilient Corridor on the weekend, the Minister stressed that: “If you are not COVID compliant we are going to shut you down and whether you’re big or you’re small, because we cannot compromise on health security.”

The new corridor was introduced on July 15. Similar to the North Coast Resilient Corridor, which was introduced in June, this area will welcome visitors with robust health and safety protocols.

Minister Bartlett said: “The start of the South Coast phase of the reopening is very important to us,” noting that “this is a really popular region for Jamaicans and some international visitors because this is country style tourism.”

Mr. Bartlett underscored the importance of tourism interests working in collaboration with various ministries and agencies, including the Ministries of Tourism and Health and Wellness, in ensuring adherence to the protocols and effectively managing the process of containing the virus “to keep Jamaica safe, secure and seamless for ourselves first and our friends and visitors.”

A team is in place, comprising government personnel and private sector stakeholders, to monitor and ensure compliance. “So, the message to the South Coast is that this corridor is going to be managed as tight, if not tighter, as we are trying to manage the Northern corridor and breaches within this corridor are going to be met with very strong action,” said the Tourism Minister.

Comply or shut down: Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism warns hotels and resorts
TREASURE BEACH – Chairman of the South Coast Chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and owner of Jakes Hotel, Jason Henzell (3rd right), brought Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (2nd left) up to date on the preparedness of tourism stakeholders along the newly opened South Coast Resilient Corridor, when he toured recently to see and hear first-hand from them. Behind Mr Bartlett is Executive Director of Jamaica Vacations Ltd. (JAMVAC), Joy Roberts and at centre is Destination Manager for the South Coast, Jonathan Bamidele.

He continued that “I’m not going to mince words on it, the instruction from me is to shut them down if they don’t comply. This is not just a South Coast edict, this is a Jamaica edict, it’s for every tourism facility that is operating in Jamaica.”

Minister Bartlett said: “So if you are a little man and you’re not compliant if you’re a medium-sized man and you’re not compliant if you’re a big man and you’re not compliant, any man you are and you are not compliant, you’re going to be treated the same.”

Minister Bartlett outlined that Jamaica has to be strong in its resolve “because we recognize that we’re operating in a global community that is still not compliant fully” with the spread of the virus being seen in Jamaica’s source markets “in a manner that is frightening to some of us.”

The South Coast Tour also entailed stops in Black River and Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, including visits to Jakes Hotel; Jack Sprat Restaurant, and the Lashings Boutique Hotel, as well as a stakeholder meeting.

Visit Jamaica shows the current requirements.

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

183 Local Producers Apply to Participate in Virtual Christmas in July Tradeshow

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One hundred and eighty three (183) manufacturers and artisans, have capitalized on the opportunity to display their locally-made corporate gift items for assessment, as they seek to secure their spot among the exhibitors at the first-ever virtual staging of the Jamaica Christmas in July Tradeshow. The local producers all participated in the assessment process at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, over a three-day period, beginning on July 7, 2020.

Candidates were given an opportunity to present products to a panel of assessors, including representatives from the Ministry of Tourism; Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO); Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC); Bureau of Standards; Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA); Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO).

The items were judged based on design and aesthetics; functionality; pricing; cultural connection and use of local raw-material.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett outlined that: “Successful candidates must show evidence that their products have been made with materials sourced locally; with at least 70 percent of it locally manufactured or assembled. The products should also highlight strong Jamaican cultural influences and themes, ranked favorably in accordance with the guidelines stipulated.”

Director of Pure Chocolate Company, Rennae Johnson (centre) proudly discusses her artisanal chocolate with the Tourism Linkages Network’s Analyst of Productive Sectors, Tisheecka Clarke (right) and Assistant Manager of Marketing Services at the Jamaica Business Development Corporation, Vivette McFarlane. The occasion was an assessment session for the Christmas in July Tradeshow on July 08, 2020 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Products can be from the categories of fashion and accessories; the arts; processed foods; aromatherapy; and souvenirs, such as desktop solutions and décor. Following the assessment, an evaluation and final selection session will be conducted ahead of the main event, slated for July 23 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

In keeping with social gathering restrictions, that have been introduced to help contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will be hosted virtually, with only a small group of persons present at the venue. However, the public will be able to watch a 2-hour live stream of the event from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm, hosted by Emprezz Golding and Christopher Daley, on the social media pages of all the partner entities.

The annual Christmas in July event is hosted by the Tourism Linkages Network of the Ministry of Tourism, in partnership with the JBDC, JMEA, JAMPRO and JHTA. It seeks to provide Jamaican producers of corporate gifts and souvenir products with the opportunity to access a key market segment, while adding uniqueness and creativity to product offerings.

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

Bartlett: Adequate systems in place for reopening of Jamaica’s tourism sector

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Bartlett: Adequate systems in place for reopening of Jamaica’s tourism sector

Bartlett: Adequate systems in place for reopening of Jamaica’s tourism sector

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has expressed confidence that adequate systems have been put in place for the reopening of Jamaica’s tourism industry. This, as he lauded the efforts of tourism partners and stakeholders for the preparations that have been made at the Sangster International Airport to facilitate the smooth reopening of the sector on Monday (June 15).

Minister Bartlett and key stakeholders had a walk-through of all areas of the airport through which the passengers will travel, with special emphasis on Immigration and Customs, before being tested for signs of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) prior to departing the airport for their respective vacation spots.

Minister Bartlett said the logistics were in place to enable as seamless a process as is possible for the dawning of a new era in tourism. He commended all partners and players who have been working overtime to make sure all parts come together effectively.

He underscored that the airport team had introduced numerous changes to facilitate social distancing consistent with stipulated health protocols. Furnishings within the airport have been arranged, technology to capture the temperature of passengers and sanitization stations installed to satisfy health requirements under COVID-19.

While maintaining that the processing of arriving passengers on Monday “will not be an insurmountable task,” Minister Bartlett said: “We’re really hoping that our locals and visitors alike will have an experience that they will be comfortable with bearing in mind the many challenges posed by this pandemic. This is a very unique situation and we are doing our best to manage it properly.”

He said while everything was being done “we also ask for understanding that this is not perfection where everything will necessarily go as we planned but certainly what we have done is to put in place that which will enable a start on which we can now work to achieve perfection.”

Included in the high-level team that toured the facility were Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health & Wellness, Dunstan Bryan; Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jacqueline Bisasor-McKenzie; Regional Technical Director, Western Regional Health Authority, Dr Diane Campbell-Stennett; Director of Tourism, Donovan White; Senior Advisor/Strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright, President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Omar Robinson; Director of Projects, Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), Stephen Edwards; JTB Regional Director, Odette Dyer and JDF Captain Jevan Brown, in charge of logistics.

The airport team was led by Chief Executive Officer, Shane Munroe and Chief Operations Officer, Peter Hall.

The reopening of the sector will commence with some six flights landing at the Sangster International Airport from Jetblue, American and Delta Airlines. Passengers will be a mix of tourists and Jamaicans returning home.

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

Bartlett Launches Free Online Training for Tourism Workers

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Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has officially launched free online training for tourism workers. The initiative, which is being driven by the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation (JCTI), a division of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), is geared towards assisting tourism workers, who were laid off as a result of the closure of hotels during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the program, tourism workers are being offered 11 free courses of online training for tourism workers to hone their skills and improve their qualifications.

The Ministry is reporting that so far, 2,279 users have registered since the program launched yesterday afternoon, with several candidates placed a wait-list, given the high demand for specific programs (such as certification in Hospitality Team Leader, Restaurant Servers, Hospitality Supervisor and Spanish).

Speaking after the digital launch, Minister Bartlett said, “We are very proud that the program is so well-received by our hospitality workers.  In fact, the portal crashed moments after our launch, due to the influx of interest, but I am happy to report these technical issues have been addressed. So, I encourage all hospitality workers to take advantage of this opportunity.”

The Minister added that this initiative was very important because he wanted the workforce to be more qualified after the period of this pandemic, than when it started.

“The COVID-19 crisis has hit our tourism sector hard. As hotels and attractions have shuttered operations and borders have closed all of the 160,000 workers directly employed in tourism have been impacted in one way or another. Forty thousand remain employed while 75% [120,000] have been laid off.

“Therefore, I am pleased to announce that we will be offering our tourism workers a lifeline. There is no better time than now for them to retool and upskill. It is a smart investment in staying resilient, which will pay handsome dividends when the tourism sector returns to normal.”

The online training for tourism workers program is being administered in collaboration with our major partners.  HEART/National Service Training (HEART/NSTA) Trust, will be offering courses free to candidates and paying all the tutors.

The National Restaurant Association (NRA), the owners of the American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI), will be offering their signature ServSafe Certification, and the Universal Service Fund (USF) will be supporting individuals who need access to the Internet.

“The USF in particular is a critical partner as we seek to ensure access for those who do not have the technology at home. The USF has 193 functional Community Access Points (CAPs) throughout Jamaica, each with 25 computers with internet access,” said Minister Bartlett.

He further added, “The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), will be partnering with the USF to use select CAPs in Trelawny, St. James, St. Ann and Westmoreland so that students without access to a smartphone will be able to utilize the CAPs in these parishes to participate in the courses and access course material.”

The JCTI initiative includes 11 free online certifications, which will ensure the continued advancement of local tourism workers despite the challenging circumstances.

The online training for tourism workers courses are as follows: Laundry Attendant, Guest Room Attendant, Kitchen Steward Porter, ServSafe Training in Food Safety, Certified Hospitality Supervisor, Introduction to Spanish, Public Area Sanitation, Hospitality Team Leader, Certified Banquet Server, Certified Restaurant Server, and DJ Certification.

These are certification programs, which means that only candidates with actual work experience are eligible.

All courses will include certification examinations and successful candidates will receive certificates from certifying institutions, including the National Restaurant Association, the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute or HEART Trust/NSTA.

Registration continues at www.tef.gov.jm/jamaica-centre-of-toursm-innovation  

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

Spanish Jamaica Foundation Makes US$200,000 Donation to the Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Program

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The Spanish Jamaica Foundation has donated US$200,000 (J$28 million) to the Government of Jamaica’s COVID-19 Recovery Program. The donation will go towards the procurement of well-needed protective gear and ventilators. The announcement was made during a digital press briefing hosted by the Ministry of Tourism earlier today.

The Spanish Jamaica Foundation includes members from various Spanish-owned hotels and companies that hold investments in Jamaica. It is a non-profit organization objective is to foster partnerships between both countries through projects and initiatives of educational, cultural and social character.

“This donation is very important to us because the Tourism industry is a critical part of the whole recovery program for COVID-19. We are impacted greatly by it, as you know, but we also must be a central part of the management and recovery activities,” said Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.

Ambassador of Spain to Jamaica, His Excellency Josep Maria Bosch, stated that “The members of the foundation have expressed a will to cooperate with the Government of Jamaica… Almost every dollar that was in their accounts has been allocated for special donations to the Ministry of Health to support the fight against the virus. Spain will try to be closer to Jamaica, it may be a small part of the fight, but we are very happy to be contributing to this effort. The amount will be US$200,000 and some of the companies are thinking of doing special new donations. So maybe the figure will be increased in the future.”

Minister Bartlett added that this donation is one of many donations and gestures being done by the sector. He shared that in some instances, workers who have been laid off have been given care packages to help sustain them through this period among other incentives.

“The donation from the Spanish Jamaica Foundation now brings us to over US$1.2 million from our hotels to various aspects of the recovery program for COVID-19,” said Minister Bartlett.

Senior Advisor and Strategist, Delano Seiveright noted that many stakeholders are doing their part to assist the Government in its aggressive efforts to manage COVID-19.

“Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) members are collaborating with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to provide well-needed rooms for recovery/quarantine of COVID-19 patients. Sandals Resorts International has provided rooms, transportation for healthcare workers, hand held thermometers and ventilators in excess of J$20 million; the Issa Trust Foundation has donated J$32 million in critical supplies; Round Hill Hotel and Villas is working with Hanover Charities to use all perishables to support soup kitchens in Lucea, where they will continue to feed up to 700 persons on a frequent basis; the Hendrickson group are putting together major support and many others have or are coming on board,” Seiveright noted.

Media Contact:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Bartlett: Ministries of Tourism and Health, JHTA partnering to provide rooms for COVID-19 patients

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Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett has announced that his Ministry along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), will be partnering to provide rooms for COVID-19 patients, should the need arise.

“I am in discussions with my colleague Minister of Health and the president of the JHTA to identify suitable rooms in the event they may be required to deal with recovery cases with COVID-19. Right now it is all hands on deck and tourism stands ready to support in any way it can to mitigate against the impact of this pandemic,” said Minister Bartlett.

The COVID-09 pandemic continues to have a devastating impact on several countries globally. To date, there has been over 400 thousand cases with over 18 thousand deaths associated with the disease.

“Partnerships at the local, regional and global levels are critical at this stage to help manage this disease and this is just one such example,” added Minister Bartlett.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon Christopher Tufton has welcomed the initiative, which he says will help to ease the burden on the already limited public health resources.

Speaking on the response by the JHTA, President Omar Robinson said, “The JHTA has requested from our members with closed properties to enter into a partnership arrangement with the Ministry of Health & Wellness in the provision of rooms for quarantine/isolation purposes. We have also requested of our members to donate linens and other soft goods for use at hospitals, and isolation/quarantine rooms.”

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