JAMAICA: Destination Assurance Management Committees To Be Set Up In Resort Areas

The Ministry of Tourism will be setting up destination assurance management committees in resort areas, which will be charged with ensuring a quality vacation experience for visitors to the island.

Portfolio Minister Edmund Bartlett said the committees will be established within the first quarter of next year in the Kingston Metropolitan Area (KMA), Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, Portland, and the south coast. They will be overseen by management boards.

Minister Bartlett was speaking at the Inaugural Tourism Policy Lecture Series held on Wednesday, at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Regional Headquarters in Kingston.

He said the committees will replace the Tourism Development Company (TPDCo)-operated Resort Boards, which were established in an advisory capacity and empowered to function within certain parameters.

He noted that the assurance committees will ensure high-quality standards in the delivery of the country’s tourism product.

“What we want is a more efficient and technical arrangement to ensure the destination integrity to guarantee to the visitor a safe, secure and seamless vacation,” he said.

Minister Bartlett said that the boards will be comprised of personnel who have competence in the delivery of key services at the local level.

“For example, the public-health officer in charge of sanitation, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) officer in charge of maintenance of the drains and keeping the areas pristine, the local police for safety and security,” he informed.

He said the destination assurance management committees will act as a one-stop shop that will ensure compliance with regulations by all players in the local tourism industry.

“There will be no excuse for you not to be a licensed tourism entity, not to maintain high standards and quality, because if you don’t, we are going to take away your licence and you won’t be able to function in that area,” he warned.

Minister Bartlett informed that the Ministry is in the process of building out the terms of reference and the overall policy that will guide the operation of the committees.

He pointed out that all tourism stakeholders will be involved in the initiative, including destination managers, who will form part of the TPDCo’s network of regional managers to provide support in maintaining the destination assurance.

The Tourism Policy Lecture Series was hosted by the Ministry through its Tourism Linkages Network in collaboration with the UWI Department of Government and the UWI Centre for Tourism and Policy Research.

The annual series aims to inform stakeholders about the opportunities in the sector and highlight the contributions of the industry to national development.

JAMAICA: January to October 2016, Jamaica Earnings US$2.06 Billion From Tourism

Jamaica remains on track to have a record year in tourism as the island continues to register growth of over 5 per cent for both tourism earnings and visitor arrivals.

From January to October 2016, Jamaica recorded earnings of US$2.06 billion, which represents an increase of 5.7 per cent over the amount earned for the same period last year, the Ministry of Tourism yesterday reported.

The island also registered an increase of 5.1 per cent in visitor arrivals over the same period last year, with 3,100,235 visitors in total, the ministry said in a release. Growth in both arrivals and earnings came despite Jamaica suffering a loss of over 8,000 visitors during the passage of Hurricane Matthew.

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said: “The latest figures from the Jamaica Tourist Board are truly proof of the strength of Jamaica’s tourism product. We have consistently recorded growth throughout the year, though over 8,000 potential visitors cancelled their trips due to the passage of Hurricane Matthew in October”.

During the first 10 months of 2016, stopover arrivals also increased by 2.3 percent over the same period last year, with 1,786,394 visitors, while cruise arrivals increased by 9.1 per cent over the same period in 2015, totaling 1,313,841 cruise passengers, according to the release.

“Our arrival figures and tourism earnings, from January and October of this year are very positive and an indicator of the considerable impact tourism is having on the growth agenda. Our tourism earnings continue to outpace our arrivals, which is quite significant. It is clear, that we remain on track to have a record year in tourism,” said Bartlett.

Latin America and Europe were Jamaica’s strongest markets during the period January to October. Stopover arrivals from the Latin American market were up by 26.6 per cent over the same period last year, with 2,803 visitors. Arrivals out of Europe increased by 10.5 per cent, over the same period for 2015 with a total of 21,870 stopover arrivals, the ministry reported.

JAMAICA: An All-inclusive Destination,

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says the Government is looking at lands in south-western Jamaica for the establishment of a health and wellness centre to enhance the tourism product.

Speaking at the opening of the Caribbean Cannabis Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, in St James, on Friday, the minister said the area being explored is in the corridor from Negril (Westmoreland) to Black River (St Elizabeth).

“I believe this will provide a very useful geographic space for us to consider a new destination in Jamaica and a destination that will be characterised by health and wellness spas, and cannabis products,” he said.

The minister said Jamaica is now at a stage of building out the area of wellness tourism, which will further add to the island’s position as a destination with a difference.

Bartlett noted that a Health and Wellness Network has been established in the Ministry of Tourism, which has been tasked with the responsibility of defining the policy that will provide the framework within which the cannabis-infused health and wellness experience will be a reality in Jamaica.

He said while Jamaica has been largely characterised as being an all-inclusive destination, there is room for other types of product offerings.

“We can do a level of product diversification which would enable us to be attractive to all demographics… and what we have seen is that cannabis-infused experiences have added much to health and wellness,” the minister said.

He said proof of the success of the cannabis-infused experience can be seen in Amsterdam and Colorado.

Bartlett said the Ministry of Tourism has been leading a process to ascertain how the country can benefit more from the industry, while building more unique experiences.

JAMAICA: Jamaica To Become Entertainment Destination

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, says his ministry is looking to establish Jamaica as a major destination for entertainment.

Speaking during Reggae Sumfest’s ‘Reggae Night’ at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre in Montego Bay on Saturday, Bartlett said the aim is to promote the island as the premier location for guaranteed quality entertainment year-round.

He noted that visitors will be able to purchase a vacation to Jamaica two years in advance knowing that entertainment is guaranteed.

Bartlett pointed out that destinations such as Cuba offer scheduled entertainment events.

“What we want to do is to establish the reggae music experience that will bring visitors from all over the world. Instead of looking at single events, we will be looking now on a product that we can package and… market and it offers some kind of certitude as to the quality and high standards and also it gives a timeline and… a venue,” he explained.

Bartlett noted that the 24-year-old Reggae Sumfest has been instrumental in bringing visitors to Jamaica.

He said that he will be meeting with industry stakeholders shortly in preparation for the festival’s silver anniversary in 2017.

“We are going to be having a meeting with all the main providers of international offerings in music and to see how we can pull it all together to produce that product so that the 25th will be exciting and different and will hopefully bring more of the international Jamaican artistes,” said the tourism minister.

JAMAICA: Jamaica Lures Japanese Tourists

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and tourism director Paul Pennicook will meet with several tourism stakeholders in Japan as part of efforts to re-engage the market and grow visitor traffic to Jamaica.

Bartlett left the island on Sunday May 29 and returns on Monday June 6, a release from the ministry reported Monday.

“Two decades ago Jamaica received upwards of 20,000 Japanese visitors per annum but has since declined to roughly 2,000 per annum, due in part to a long economic slowdown in Japan and other factors,” Bartlett said

“However, with the world’s fourth largest economy and a population of over 127 million, still humming along and over 17 million people travelling overseas every year, I believe we have an opportunity to re-engage Japan on a more sustained basis and increase visitor traffic to Jamaica,” he added.


The release said that Bartlett will meet with representatives from various airlines and prospective investors at a reception being hosted in his honour by Jamaican Ambassador to Japan Ricardo Allicock.

Bartlett will also have a meeting with chairman of the Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC) to discuss a proposed coffee festival in Jamaica and related tourism activities.

UCC manages coffee plantations on the Blue Mountains.

JAMAICA: Jamaica To Promote Farm Tourism

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica will be seeking to pursue farm tourism, which has a lucrative travel market worldwide.

He noted that many tour operators have been pushing this market in various countries and that Jamaica is geographically poised to benefit from it.

“The link between agriculture and tourism is something that we take very seriously and something which has the potential to solve many of our problems,” Bartlett said in an interview with JIS News.

He cited the Agro Parks initiative where over 6,000 acres of land have been brought into production.

“Can you imagine our visitors going on organised tours to these farms where the opportunity is there for them to also have lunch and dinner, eating the same produce from these farms,” Bartlett said.

“More jobs would be created, more people would get into farming, the farmers would be able to earn foreign exchange, and the Jamaica Tourist Board, would have another niche market to promote. This would be another huge plus for our economy,” he added.

Meanwhile, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw, said that agriculture and tourism are both inextricably linked and are critical to the positive growth numbers his ministry is pursuing.

“Here in Jamaica we are fortunate to have two very powerful sectors in tourism and agriculture that potentially can take us to the promise land. There are so many ways they can feed off each other that we can’t help but to be entirely upbeat about the potential that is staring us in the face,” Shaw said.

JAMAICA: Tourism Ministry Heads To Royalton Negril After Building Collapse

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has dispatched a high-level team from the ministry to visit the Royalton Negril Resort and Spa in Westmoreland, where a section of the building which is under construction, collapsed this morning injuring several workers, some of whom are now trapped.

The ministry said the property, which is located on the site of the former Grande Lido Negril, is currently being renovated.

Minister Bartlett, who is overseas on official business, said: “We are very concerned about the safety and well-being of the construction workers and hope that they will all make it through this ordeal. They are in my prayers.

“As part of the ministry’s emergency response mechanism, I am sending a team to visit the property immediately and provide whatever assistance they can,” he said. “The team will also report to me regarding the situation on the ground.”

The team is being led by the Ministry of Tourism’s senior director of technical services, David Dobson, and includes Chairman of the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) Ian Dea, Executive Director of TPDCo Dennis Hickey, Director of Tourism Paul Pennicook, Senior Communications Strategist Delano Seiveright, and other government officials.

Minister Bartlett is currently participating in the 103rd Session of the Executive Council of the UNWTO, which is being held at the Trade Fairs and Congress Center of Málaga, Spain from May 9-11, 2016.

The minister is being accompanied by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith. He will return to the island on Sunday, May 15.

JAMAICA: Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett Discusses Tourism With US Ambassador

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Edmund Bartlett (right), meeting with the US Ambassador to Jamaica, Luis Moreno at his Ministry in New Kingston on Tuesday.

Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has met with US Ambassador Luis Moreno for discussions on strengthening relations between Jamaica and the United States in the area of tourism.

During the meeting at the New Kingston offices of the Ministry of Tourism on Tuesday, they had preliminary discussions on the prospects for preclearance operations privileges to be granted to Jamaica.

Preclearance allows US Border inspection and clearance of commercial airline passengers and their goods, and is typically the same inspection which a traveller would undergo at a US port of entry. Passengers who go through preclearance do not have to undergo a second inspection on arriving in the US.

Bartlett strongly believes it will be beneficial to the tourism industry, as it will, among other things, facilitate ease of travel for passengers.

“it is crucial for us to strengthen the relationship between Jamaica and the United States. I am convinced that once this is done it will help to drive investment in the sector and open doors for the entry of more US brands in the local tourism industry.”

Among the other issues discussed were efforts to further boost visitor safety and steps to enhance the Tourism Courtesy Corp.