Sandals CEO to Chair Tourism Linkages Council

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Sandals Resorts International, Adam Stewart, will chair the Tourism Linkages Council.

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says the mandate is to take the sector further on the growth pathway.

He also noted that Mr. Stewart, who is First Vice-President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), has been charged with the responsibility to ensure that the sector is no longer considered seasonal, but “an all-year-round economic activity.”

Addressing the 55^th annual general meeting of the JHTA at the Sandals Ochi Beach Resort, in St. Ann, on June 11, Mr. Bartlett said Mr. Stewart has the skill set, the knowledge and the temperament to succeed.

“He is a tremendous leader who understands the industry, and understands where we want to go in terms of growth,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Bartlett said for the industry to be sustainable, it has to be an all-year-round economic activity.

“Tourism is the main engine of growth and also the main stabiliser of the economy. It would not be a stretch to suggest that almost everything revolves around the success of the tourism industry,” the Minister added.

The primary objective of the Tourism Linkages Council is to increase the consumption of goods and services that can be competitively sourced locally. It also aims to create employment while generating and retaining the country’s foreign exchange earning potential.

For his part, Mr. Stewart, who is the son of Sandals founder Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart, said he has always maintained that Jamaica has one of the best tourism products in the world and he will do everything to ensure that the industry continues to grow.

“Public service is something that I have never shied away from and I am looking forward to this challenge of chairing the Tourism Linkages Council,” he said.