Jamaica to serve on UNWTO Executive Council

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

CHENGDU, China — Jamaica has again been elected to the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), to serve a two-year term alongside Argentina and Uruguay. This, according to the Ministry of Tourism, is a shared arrangement of the four-year membership and will allow the three designated seats for the UNWTO's Commission of the Americas (CAM), of which Jamaica is a member, to be served by more members of the region. The second half of the four-year term will be served by Honduras, Peru and Brazil, beginning in 2019. Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett expressed pride that Jamaica would be represented on the Council.
“The confidence placed in Jamaica internationally puts us in a unique position to reap a number of benefits which will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the people of Jamaica. As a result of this, we have been able to form a number of key partnerships, strengthen linkages with other sectors and witness an increase in investments,” said the minister. In explaining the decision to share the membership with Honduras, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith, in a release from the ministry today, said: “Jamaica stands in solidarity with our colleagues in the region. We are happy that we are able to negotiate within the Commission of the Americas (CAM) and agree to an amicable solution that will allow more countries within the region to participate in this global decision making body.” The Executive Council is responsible for the management and implementation of strategic decisions carried out by the UNWTO. By collectively serving on the council, it will allow tourism dependent countries to work together to better advance the development of the region. “This was an objective of our trip to China and we are happy to have received the support from our fellow states in the Americas. We are confident that with this election, we will be at helm of the decision-making process of the tourism sector for member states within the Americas and, by extension, the rest of the world,” said Griffith. Bartlett, who was unable to attend the meeting due to the unexpected temporary closure at the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA), joined his delegation in China on yesterday evening. The minister will use the remainder of his trip to participate in the 22nd Session of the UNWTO General Assembly, while also promoting the 'UNWTO, Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism', scheduled for November 27-29 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James.

EDMUND BARLETT (File photo)