Jamaica Travel News

New Minister of Tourism for Jamaica

Elections on September 3 in Jamaica resulted in victory by the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) which meant a new government. For the tourism world, that means a new Minister of Tourism. Edmund (Ed) Bartlett, a marketing executive and long-standing Parliamentarian, has been appointed Minister of Tourism in Jamaica's newly elected government.

Here's the latest news from the Jamaica Tourist Board about the new Minister:

Bartlett is no stranger to the tourism portfolio, having been the Opposition spokesman on tourism and matters related to the Jamaican Diaspora during the last administration. In over 22 years in the Jamaican Parliament, he has served as Minister of Youth and Community Development as well as Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and Culture.

Born and educated in Jamaica, Bartlett is a graduate of the University of the West Indies. He has held senior accounting and marketing positions at Revere Alumina Jamaica Ltd. and Texaco Caribbean Inc. respectively. In the 1980's Bartlett was appointed Vice President for the World Conference on Cultural Policies. In that period, he further served as Vice Chairman of the United Nations International Youth Year Advisory Committee and addressed the UN General Assembly as the island's representative during the 1985 celebration of the International Year of Youth.

Bartlett assumes the position as Minister of Tourism in Jamaica at a time when the island is experiencing substantial infrastructural development in its tourist industry. Over the last three years, the number of hotel rooms has been increasing at a rapid rate and it is anticipated
that hotel room inventory will continue to increase at an average of 4,600 rooms per year between 2008 and 2010.

In 2006 Jamaica recorded 3 million visitors for the first time with over a million arrivals out of the US market for the second consecutive year. Bartlett has expressed his determination to focus on marketing, product development and investment in keeping Jamaica in the forefront of Caribbean tourism and has already set an aggressive growth target for the destination.

In its stated programme for tourism development in Jamaica, the new government has emphasized diversification of the industry. Areas identified as having potential for increasing the contribution of tourism to the island's economy include promotion of more high-value luxury accommodation, increased focus on Jamaica's culture and heritage, the opening of resorts in non- traditional areas as well as expansion of cruise ship facilities on the island's famous North coast.

Labels: tourism

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