Opportunity for gastronomy
The catalyst for MoBay’s tourism expansion?
JAMAICA’S THRUST towards becoming a major global gastronomy destination is to be bolstered by the country’s hosting one of the United Nations’ most crucial conferences on sustainable tourism.
The event, set for December 2017 in the tourism capital, Montego Bay has been dubbed an “opportunity for gastronomy; not only for the health and wellness network, but particularly for entertainment and music to help showcase Jamaica’s food, which will be on display”, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett announced last Wednesday at the Hilton Rose Hall.
He was speaking at a Gastronomy of Fats and Oils ‘The Art of Choosing, Preparing and Cooking Good Food’ seminar at the Montego Bay resort. Hosted in association with the Seprod Group, the event entailed a series of presentations by chefs and experts on how to effectively use fats and oils to further enhance culinary delights within the tourism sector.
Gastronomy is one of the passion points being touted by the minister as ways of taking Destination Jamaica to the next level.
Uncertain of the exact date the event will take place, Bartlett said these were both private and public sector arms of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) coming together to put on a global event for the first time.
FIRST GLOBAL CONFERENCE
Beaming with pride, the tourism minister said that with the declaration of 2017 being named International Year for Sustainable Tourism Development, “little Jamaica has been selected as the venue for the first global conference on tourism development and sustainability”.
The Montego Bay Convention Centre has been selected as the venue.
On show will be special presentations of rum, special presentations of coffee, and the various foods that the island boasts.
According to the tourism minister, a focus on gastronomy could be the catalyst for the expansion of Montego Bay’s tourism product.