Mr Edmund Bartlett, a tireless fighter for tourism
Jamaicans generally are hoping that the Economic Growth council’s senator aubyn Hill is right and that the country will still achieve the five per cent economic growth target (5 in 4), certainly by the end of this administration.
in the meantime, it is noteworthy that tourism remains the bright spot in the Jamaican economic landscape. The number of tourist arrivals and the total expenditure are increasing every year. Tourist arrivals reached 4.31 million and expenditure amounted to Us$3.3 billion in 2018.
it is true that tourism as a global industry has grown steadily over the last couple of years. it is true that Jamaica is blessed with natural beauty and gregarious people. it is true that Jamaica has several world-class hotels, including sandals Resorts, of course. it is true that we have reggae, rum, coffee, and ganja.
Yet, all of this alone would not account for Jamaica’s success in tourism. much of the credit belongs to Tourism minister Edmund Bartlett who has not been daunted by crime, inadequate infrastructure and fierce competition from less expensive caribbean destinations.
His leadership of the industry has not been to be defensive, but to be proactive and innovative. His agility has been remarkable in an industry which is hypersensitive to weather, unfavourable publicity and international economic events.
Tourism is a super-competitive industry in which strategy has to be recalibrated because of changing prices, the need to attract airlift and creative re-imaging in the market place. The minister has developed close working relations with workers, managers, and owners across the tourism spectrum.
mr Bartlett has been the consummate diplomat and has built international alliances with government officials, corporate executives and heads of international organisations, leading to significant recognition.
He was the caribbean’s Tourism minister of the Year for 2017 and Tourism minister of the Year Worldwide at ITB, the world’s leading travel trade show in march 2018 in Berlin.
Emblematic of his restless imagination is his creation of the Global Tourism Resilience and crisis management centre, which will be established in Jamaica in February at The University of the West indies. With partners across the globe the centre will deal with climate-related issues, cybersecurity threats, terrorism, political upheaval and economic downturns.
a lifelong politician, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1989 for the Jamaica Labour Party and first served as minister of tourism from 2007-2012. Prior to this appointment, he served in various positions in both chambers of Parliament.
He was minister of state for information and culture in the Office of the Prime minister; then minister of youth, sports and community development from 1980 to 1989; senator and opposition spokesman on various portfolios, including tourism, from 1989 to 2007. He, truly, has found his niche and made his mark.
in mr Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica has a tireless fighter for economic growth and development. We say well done to the minister and his very supportive team.