Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism continues his quest of ensuring that Destination Jamaica and the tourism sector remain top of mind in international fora with his departure on Sunday (March 5) to be a key participant in the much anticipated ITB Berlin Convention, now underway in Germany.

Having been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, this is the first face-to-face staging of the world’s biggest travel convention since the onset of COVID-19 and is planned to showcase decisive trends and provide unlimited opportunities for the travel business.

The Berlin Convention, which runs from March 7-9, is the leading travel industry think tank, attracting tourism professionals and key decision makers, as well as major buyers and sellers in the international travel trade.

“As the global tourism sector continues to rebound from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic we are pleased to be able to attend ITB Berlin in person, and we will use this opportunity to further promote Destination Jamaica, strengthen existing partnerships and forge new ones as we seek to foster continued growth in the tourism sector,” Bartlett said. 

The minister’s participation will see him as the keynote speaker and panellist on the topic “New Narratives for Work in Travel.”

Bartlett will also be giving the keynote address at an event celebrating Global Tourism Resilience Day, an observation whose establishment he championed. The day is celebrated annually on February 17 and is used to bolster resilience globally.

The minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Ahmed Al Khateeb, minister of tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and multiple discussions about global employment initiatives.

Bartlett will be a special guest at the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards.  At the ITB Convention in 2019, Jamaica was presented with PATWA’s award for destination of the year.

The awards recognise individuals and organisations that have excelled and or are involved in the promotion of tourism from different sectors of the travel trade and service providers related directly or indirectly to the industry.

Before returning home on March 11, the Minister will also meet with members of the Jamaican Diaspora at the Embassy of Jamaica in Berlin.