Tourism Ministry Targets Key Areas To Stimulate Growth

The Ministry of Tourism is focused on six key areas as it creates a framework for growth that is more resilient, equitable and sustainable.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, made the disclosure during his Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (April 6).

The six areas are facilitating investments; strengthening linkages; investing in human capital development; diversifying the tourism product; building out a supportive tourism infrastructure; and creating a Destination Assurance Framework that assures an authentic, safe and seamless visitor experience.

These areas are expected to stimulate activity in the sector as the Ministry revises its growth targets to 2025.

Minister Bartlett noted that the previous growth targets, set in 2016, were aimed at achieving five million visitors, five billion dollars in earnings and adding five thousand new rooms by 2021.

Minister Bartlett said that while the pandemic has posed challenges in accomplishing the targets, it has provided an opportunity to regroup, recoup and reimagine the tourism product.

“All prior accomplishments, as well as effective strategies, policies and plans, have laid a firm foundation on which we must now build back stronger to meet the new demands of the post-coronavirus (COVID-19) tourism industry,” he said.