Jamaica and Dominican Republic Sign Multi-Destination Agreement

Jamaica and the Dominican Republic have signed a multi-destination agreement, which will provide both countries access to a combined larger market.

The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed during a luncheon with Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, and several local and international dignitaries at the Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort and Spa on November 28.

The event coincided with the staging of the United Nations World Trade Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism now under way at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

Signatories included Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and his Dominican Republic counterpart, His Excellency Francisco Javier Garcia; Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith; and Foreign Minister for the Dominican Republic, His Excellency Miguel Vargas Maldonado.

In his remarks, Minister Bartlett said the MOU focuses on joint marketing and airlift arrangements, similar to the agreement signed between Cuba and Jamaica in January.

“The Dominican Republic is the largest tourism destination at this time. The infrastructure there allows for connectivity from far-flung places and markets, which we are not able to access at this time,” he said.

He informed that Jamaica and Mexico will also sign an MOU in January 2018 that will “bring together the four major markets in the Caribbean into a symbiotic arrangement that will allow us to provide a market for close to 33 million people”.

“It will (also) allow us to develop and exchange partnerships with large airlines and major tour operators. This is a win-win situation, because if it happens in the north, it will happen in the south,” he contended.

Mr. Garcia, for his part, said his country wants to be given an opportunity to learn from and share its experiences with other islands of the Caribbean.

He underscored the importance of tourism to Jamaica and the rest of the region, and commended the efforts to implement multi-destination arrangements, “which we’ve wanted for so long”.

Mr. Garcia noted that there is unquestionable support for the move from the leaders of the Caribbean, including Mr. Holness.