Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and Director of Tourism, John Lynch have come in for high praise from the hierarchy of the World Travel Awards for their exceptional guidance of Jamaica’s tourism industry and for ensuring that the destination remains on the forefront of world tourism. Bartlett and Lynch were presented with the Caribbean Destination Achievement Award at the 2011 World Travel Awards Caribbean & The Americas Gala on October 19, 2011, for their outstanding work in spearheading the growth of the tourism sector during the global economic recession.
In a citation which was read prior to them receiving the prestigious award Bartlett and Lynch were lauded for their innovative approach and astute leadership in ensuring growth in the tourism sector despite what has been described as the most challenging economic period in modern history. The citation in part read “virtually every strata of every industry in the world has faced unprecedented challenges, with many high-profile names unable to survive in this brave new world of austerity. Inevitably, the travel and tourism industry has mirrored the effects taking place in the wider macro-economy. However, during these times Jamaica has seen great organisations, led by great leaders, come good in the face of adversity.”
The citation continued that “these two individuals possess an unparalleled thirst for reinvention, coupled with the ability to get things done, that they have played crucial roles in helping their nation’s tourism industry navigate the global downturn with its head held incredibly high. “Over the past two years alone, the number of international tourism arrivals to their island has risen 12.9 per cent—an especially impressive figure given the challenges in its main source markets. Fundamental to the success is the volume of repeat business, for as they say in these parts: once you go, you know.”
According to the World Travel Awards committee “Jamaica’s has been successful in spearheading the recovery of travel and tourism right across the Caribbean. Its position as a leader in the global tourism arena has been further bolstered after Bartlett was elected to the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, representing the entire Americas region. The future looks exceptionally bright.” They noted that Bartlett and Lynch “must be congratulated for engineering the travel and tourism industry’s success, and for energising successful partnerships between the public and private sectors.”
Source-Jamaica Observer
