UN Tourism Secretary-General to Address Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo in Jamaica

Secretary General of United Nations Tourism, H.E. Zurab Pololikashvili, is scheduled to participate in the Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo, scheduled for February 17-19, 2025, in Hanover, Jamaica, highlighting the critical role of sustainable and adaptive tourism strategies in a changing global landscape.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization now UN Tourism,  is a specialized agency of the United Nations which promotes responsible, sustainable and universally-accessible tourism.

“The participation of the UN Tourism Secretary General at our Global Tourism Resilience Conference represents another pivotal moment for Caribbean tourism. This high-level engagement underscores Jamaica’s strategic importance as a global hub for innovative tourism development and our commitment to building sustainable, adaptive travel ecosystems. We are honored to provide this critical space for dialogue that will shape the future of international tourism,” Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett expressed.

The conference will host international tourism leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to discuss innovative approaches to building resilient tourism ecosystems, particularly in the context of climate change, economic fluctuations, and emerging global challenges.

·      Increased Knowledge of Digital Tools for Resilience 

·      Renewed Focus on Building Resilience 

·      Collaboration for Resilience Solutions 

·      Practical Resilience Case Studies 

·      Adoption of Crisis Management Technologies 

·      Introduction of Resilience-Focused Financial Tools 

·      Resilience in Blue Economy Management 


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·      Policy Recommendations for Resilience 

·   Increased collaboration between tourism stakeholders and digital technology firms globally

“Jamaica continues to be a thought leader in the resilience space and as we build on our advocacy in this area we hope to increase capacity building for countries globally,” said Professor Lloyd Waller, Executive Director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre.

The UNWTO Secretary General’s participation underscores the organization’s commitment to supporting global tourism sectors through strategic planning and collaborative solutions.

JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto and London. Representative offices are in Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.

Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition. In 2025, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #13 Best Honeymoon Destination, #11 Best Culinary Destination, and #24 Best Cultural Destination in the World. In 2024, Jamaica was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ for the fifth consecutive year by the World Travel Awards, which also named the JTB the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 17th consecutive year. 

Jamaica earned six Travvy Awards, including a gold for ‘Best Travel Agent Academy  Program’ and silver for ‘Best Culinary Destination – Caribbean’ and ‘Best Tourism Board – Caribbean’. The destination also received bronze recognition for ‘Best Destination – Caribbean’, ‘Best Wedding Destination – Caribbean’, and ‘Best Honeymoon Destination – Caribbean’. Additionally, Jamaica received a TravelAge West WAVE award for ‘International Tourism Board Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support’ for a record-setting 12th time. 

For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB’s Website at visitjamaica.com or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422). Follow the JTB on Facebook, X, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. View the JTB blog at visitjamaica.com/blog.  

SEEN IN IMAGE:  Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett (L), with H.E. Zurab Pololikashvili, UN Tourism Secretary General, at the UN Tourism Headquarters in Madrid, Spain, last week following discussions on the Global Tourism Resilience Conference and Expo.

Media Contact:  Sicourney Jackson, Jamaica Tourist Board, [email protected]

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Linda Hohnholz