Global Tourism Resilience Conference kicks Off In Jamaica

It’s a big day in Jamaica as the Global Tourism Resilience Conference kicks off in Kingston. The first-of-its-kind conference features a roster of government officials, including the Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness, and travel industry executives who are gathering across three days to address the future of travel, tourism resilience and sustainability, investment and economic development.

While sustainability was already a buzzword pre-pandemic, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett told an intimate welcome gathering at the Devon House last night that resiliency in tourism truly came to the forefront after covid-19 disrupted the world.

“There was a lot of talk before covid about sustainability, sustainability, sustainability,” he said. “And nobody understood the importance of resilience until covid came, when we were all wondering about what’s next, because nothing had happened in the world that was such an existential threat… since covid, we’ve been able to get the world to now begin to think about resilience.”

Speakers include Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman, Sandals Resorts International; Nicola
Madden-Greig, President, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association; Kenneth Bryan, Minister for Tourism & Transport, Cayman Islands and Nick Rose, Vice President and head of Environment, Social and Governance for Royal Caribbean Group.

The conference culminates on the first ever Global Tourism Resilience Day, which will now be recognized every year on February 17.

Stay tuned for more coverage as PressToday is on location to cover the event.

Pictured in the photo are Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and Angella Bennett, Canadian Regional Director for the Jamaica Tourist Board.