Jamaica to take the lead in delivering benefits to local communities

Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism said it is important that Caribbean states understand that sustainable tourism must mean inclusive growth that will expand economic benefits to the local population.

Addressing delegates and stakeholders at the introductory session of the UNWTO Global Conference on Sustainable Growth in Jamaica.Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, said it is important that Caribbean states understand that sustainable tourism must mean inclusive growth that will expand economic benefits to the local population.

 "The tourism sector must not only generate prosperity and wealth for large hotel owners and service providers but must also help to preserve the natural and cultural resources of the islands," he said

"It must also strengthen linkages with other sectors of the economy, particularly the agricultural and manufacturing sectors; strengthen the benefits derived from the industry by local residents and communities; and promote broader participation by all Caribbean nationals," the Minister added.

 "Jamaica’s National Community Tourism Policy and Strategy, for example, envisions an invigorated tourism sector in communities that enriches quality of life through social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits; exemplifies sustainable livelihoods, and strengthens Jamaica’s national policy values and interests,"

He said that the Government’s community tourism initiatives aim to ensure that tourism enterprises return economic, cultural, social and environmental benefits to the communities in which they operate.

"We have also established our Tourism Linkages Network, which has a mandate of promoting sustainable tourism development in Jamaica by developing and strengthening sustainable linkages between the tourism sector and other productive sectors of the economy, such as agriculture, manufacturing and the local economy.

"If Caribbean tourism intends to be globally competitive, we must find ways to unlock new sources of competitiveness," he stressed. One approach would be to diversify our offerings to attract new markets. International travellers have become far more demanding and have higher expectations of the destinations to which they travel or intend to travel," the Minister added.

Mr. Bartlett noted that international tourism trends are showing a shift from the traditional ‘sun, sea and sand’ towards interactive experiential tourism, one of tourism’s fastest-growing subsectors, appealing to markets interested in gastronomy, nature, heritage and cultural experiences in the destinations they choose.

The UNWTO Global Conference on ‘Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism’, runs from November 27 to 29. More than 1,300 delegates have been registered for what is being billed as the biggest tourism conference ever to be held in the Americas.

The conference is intended to foster a forum for governments, investors, donors and development organisations to exchange development and investment opportunities; share proven best practices for developing public-private partnerships (PPP) in tourism; and work with governments to prepare innovative tourism PPP investment opportunities that prioritise sustainability, economic inclusion and poverty alleviation.

The conference is designed to provide the forum for discussions on social inclusiveness, employment and poverty-reduction strategies that have been employed with success by the various entities.

Valere Tjolle

@ValereTjolle