Building Tourism Resilience is Critical – Minister

Building tourism resilience is critical to ensuring the sector’s sustainability and its contribution to economies, says Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

Chairing the Fifth Special Meeting of the Inter-American Committee on Tourism (CITUR), at the Organization of American States (OAS) headquarters in Washington DC, on April 14, Mr. Bartlett warned that despite tourism being one of the most significant contributors to global output, providing jobs, incomes and livelihoods for millions of people, the sector remains susceptible to external shocks and crises.

These include natural disasters, economic downturns, and pandemics, the Minister pointed out.

“As the sector continues its recovery, it is important that we acknowledge the importance of putting people first, investing in people and developing the right skills as crucial elements of building tourism resilience over time. It is essential to train and educate the workforce to be adaptable to changing circumstances such as new technologies and evolving customer preferences,” he said.

“Tourism must also prioritise creating a workforce that reflects the communities it serves to deliver both an enhanced product, as well as to accrue more benefits to a broader range of stakeholders in the tourism value chain,” Mr. Bartlett added.

The Minister argued that as member states in the OAS family, “we must recognise the nexus between resilience and sustainable development, and tourism’s role in it”.

He emphasised that a resilient tourism must operate in a way that protects the environment and supports local communities, including small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, while at the same time ensuring economic viability.

“Moreover, it is important that tourism practices enhance the sector’s resilience, making it better equipped to withstand crises, while contributing to long-term sustainability,” the Minister said.

“As a region, we have to position ourselves to take advantage of emerging technologies and to better use the available science and data to inform decision-making, particularly in relation to building tourism resilience,” Mr. Bartlett added.