JTB Hosts Tourism Awareness Week Youth Forum
By: , September 29, 2022
Photo: Serena Grant
Stakeholders attending the Jamaica Tourist Boards (JTB) Youth Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Wednesday (September 28). The forum formed part of the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2022 activities. The week is being observed from September 25 to October 1 under the theme ‘Rethinking Tourism’.
Photo: Serena Grant
Members of the Westwood High School for Girls Tourism Action Club and Drama Club perform during the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Youth Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Wednesday (September 28). The forum formed part of the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2022 activities. The week is being observed from September 25 to October 1 under the theme ‘Rethinking Tourism’.
Photo: Serena Grant
Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Regional Manager, Odette Dyer, delivers remarks during the JTB’s Youth Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Wednesday (September 28). The forum formed part of the Ministry of Tourism’s Tourism Awareness Week (TAW) 2022 activities. The week is being observed from September 25 to October 1 under the theme ‘Rethinking Tourism’.The Full Story
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) hosted a Youth Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Wednesday (September 28).
The event formed part of activities marking Tourism Awareness Week 2022, from September 25 to October 1, under the theme ‘Rethinking Tourism’.
The theme is consistent with that selected by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for World Tourism Day 2022, which was celebrated on Tuesday, September 27.
Participants in Wednesday’s forum were drawn from the membership of tourism action clubs in high schools islandwide.
JTB Regional Manager, Odette Dyer, who spoke at the event, noted that over the past two years, “we have not been able to meet like this”.
“Movement was limited and interactions were largely virtual. As Jamaicans, we love to connect with each other; so it is truly a joy to have this opportunity. We are pleased to see our vibrant tourism action clubs in person,” she added.
Mrs. Dyer said the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked changes across the industry, including the operations of some hotels and other organisations.
“Some of our hotels are now using contactless services [and] some organisations transitioned workers to work-from-home arrangements. We also saw where some jobs were more susceptible than others to disruptions caused by environmental circumstances.
Whereas some jobs could more easily be completed from home, there were others that required human interactions,” she outlined.
The Regional Director pointed out that the local industry is recovering at a faster-than-expected pace, emphasising that lessons from the pandemic must be factored into the sector’s future.
“Human activity is [now] surging, as people are eager to travel again. Here, in Jamaica, we are welcoming people back to our shores. This is good news because tourism is important for the economic development of Jamaica,” Mrs. Dyer stated.
The forum also featured panel discussions involving several tourism stakeholders. Topics discussed included ‘Linkages and Leakages: Opportunities for Non-Traditional Careers in Tourism’, ‘New Vision: Adapting to Change While Remaining Authentic’, and ‘The Tourism We Want: Youth Response’.