IDB Joins as Partner in Staging of UNWTO Conference

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is partnering with the Government of Jamaica in the staging of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) conference in November.

IDB Vice-President for Countries, Alexandre Meira da Rosa, gave the commitment to Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, at a meeting with IDB representatives in Washington DC on Tuesday (June 20), during his two-day visit to the American capital.

Mr. da Rosa said it was important for the Bank to join with the Government of Jamaica and the Ministry of Tourism to ensure that “this important conference on tourism is a success”.

Mr. Bartlett welcomed the partnership, which, he noted, went beyond branding.

He said the IDB has undertaken to work with the Ministry of Tourism in providing content, look at investment opportunities, as well as institutional support mechanisms to capture and manage data on the sector.

He said the industry lacks that credible data to guide management decisions and inform budgetary decisions.

This is among key areas that will be discussed at the conference in November.

The Minister said he also received an undertaking from Mr. da Rosa that the entire private-sector arm of the IDB will participate in the conference.

Mr. Bartlett also received support for the staging of the conference from members of the diplomatic corps, investors, tourism stakeholders as well as members of the Jamaican diaspora in Washington DC.

At a luncheon at the Embassy of Jamaica on Tuesday, Minister Bartlett said the UNWTO conference will not only put the spotlight on Jamaica “but provide opportunities to present our message to an audience the likes of which we have never seen before”.

He said Jamaica stands to benefit from billions of dollars worth of free advertisements by hosting the event.

“Not only will the conference be the single biggest international tourism event ever held on local soil, but could be the single most important event that is held in Jamaica,” he said.

The UNWTO, Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Conference on ‘Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism’ will be held November 27-29 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre and is expected to attract more than 800 international and local participants.

The event will bring together world leaders from the tourism industry along with governments, donors, international development and finance organisations to design and coordinate an international road map and foster collaborative relationships for inclusive economic and social development via tourism.