Jamaica Could Benefit Substantially from UNWTO Conference
By: February 21, 2017 ,The Key Point:
The Facts
- “This will be a first in the world for the UNWTO. It is the first time in any location where all the elements of tourism are going to converge to discuss sustainability issues, to discuss its future and to celebrate on matters that will lead to the future development of world tourism. There is no way we would have been able to pay for this kind of exposure,” he added.
The Full Story
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says Jamaica stands to benefit from billions of dollars worth of free advertising by hosting 157 countries and scores of overseas participants at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Conference in November.
According to the Minister, Jamaica would be in no position to pay for the kind of international reach the conference has been garnering, noting that the top brass of all the agencies within the United Nations, as well as many of the world’s foremost tourism bosses, will be in attendance.
“Not only will the conference be the single biggest international tourism event ever to be held on local soil, but could also be the single most important event we could have done for Jamaica,” the Minister told JIS News.
“This will be a first in the world for the UNWTO. It is the first time in any location where all the elements of tourism are going to converge to discuss sustainability issues, to discuss its future and to celebrate on matters that will lead to the future development of world tourism. There is no way we would have been able to pay for this kind of exposure,” he added.
Mr. Bartlett said the conference will be attracting some of the most important players in the global tourism and travel community and will certainly go a far way in strengthening Jamaica’s position as a world leader in tourism.
The conference will be held from November 27-29 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, Rose Hall, St. James.
More than 800 international and local participants are expected to attend. They will be engaged in plenary sessions and workshops on a range of subject matters pertinent to tourism, including development assistance and investment partnership opportunities.