Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre Rebranded

The Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) has been rebranded the Global Tourism Resilience Centre (GTRC).

This was announced by Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, during the second day of the Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, on Saturday (February 17).

The Centre, which is headquartered at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus in St. Andrew, is positioned to offer several products and services to address tourism resilience and crisis management issues globally.

Minister Bartlett, who is the Founder and Board Co-Chair, said the Centre’s siting at the UWI was strategic, noting that it should be a “factory for ideas”.

This, he added, is what drives the tourism sector, while pointing out that young people are the repository for ideas.

Mr. Bartlett said the Centre’s siting was also intended to insulate the resilience discourse from any political interference and prevent administrative biases.

This, he added, “So that no government in the future for Jamaica would be able to say, ‘we don’t want a resilience centre’, because the UWI with its royal charter will have that one right and responsibility to ensure the continuation of it.”

The Minister reiterated that the Centre’s establishment is not just for the benefit of Jamaica and the Caribbean but countries globally.

He highlighted the work undertaken to extend the Centre’s reach through the establishment of satellite facilities in strategic locations worldwide.

These include Nairobi, Kenya; Toronto, Canada; Oman, Jordan; Malaga, Spain; Sofia, Bulgaria, and Bournemouth, United Kingdom.

During the conference, Mr. Bartlett officially declared February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day.

The Government of Jamaica spearheaded the proposal to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September of 2022.

The UNGA subsequently approved the proposal ahead of the inaugural observance in February 2023, making this year’s commemoration of the Day the second such.

For her part, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, noted that Jamaica’s advocacy for the observation of Global Tourism Resilience Day was another example of the country’s history of introducing bold initiatives to the world.

She cited Jamaica’s initiation of a resolution to declare a year dedicated to the observance of human rights at the UNGA, shortly after the island gained political Independence in 1962.

Senator Johnson Smith commended Minister Bartlett for “giving voice to the vision and for working with dedication to ensure that the concept of tourism resilience finds practical expression in every facet of the industry”.

“The GTRC established at the UWI is a natural outgrowth of that conviction, and its achievements, to date, are, indeed, commendable,” she added.

Minister Johnson Smith noted that the Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference’s staging in Jamaica marked a significant milestone in the collective journey towards a more resilient and sustainable industry.

“This Conference… brought together key stakeholders, experts and policymakers to address the challenges facing our sector and to explore innovative solutions for the future,” she pointed out.

Senator Johnson Smith further said, “The conference has richly featured… practical advice, discussions on various aspects of tourism resilience, including digital innovation, infrastructure resilience, the role of women, sustainable financing and, of course, future challenges and mitigating strategies.”

“Through these discussions, we aim to shape a more resilient, adaptive and sustainable tourism industry that can withstand future shocks and thrive in the face of adversity,” the Minister stated.

The Conference was held from February 16 to 17.