Tourism Minister Attends World Routes Conference in China

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, will be leaving the island soon to attend a World Routes Conference in Chengdu, China, from September 25 to 27.

In an interview with JIS News at the Melia Braco Village Resort in Rio Bueno, Trelawny, on September 18, the Minister pointed out that World Routes is the central meeting place for airline industry powerbrokers to discuss and implement air service.

“This is where all of the wheeling and dealing takes place. We have to remember that the whole issue of connectivity is central to growth,” Mr. Bartlett explained.

“We have recognised that the emerging markets in Asia are going to be very strong and we have to position ourselves. In fact, the fastest-growing area in the world for outgoing tourism today is South East Asia. Those are the largest number of people that are flying,” he added.

Those are the largest number of people that are flying,” he added.

Mr. Bartlett also pointed out that China has 120 million visitors going to different parts of the world and it is important for Jamaica to make a play for a slice of that market.

“Part of the discussions at the World Routes Council will be about connectivity and who goes where. There will be talks about route planning and we want to be there to make our presence felt and our intentions known,” the Minister said.

Mr. Bartlett said there are immediate plans for connections through different places, and there are talks about a connection between Air China and Air Canada into Montego Bay.

“There is also another connection from Beijing to Tijuana and then into Montego Bay. We also want to tidy up the arrangements with Cuba, where we can have Air China fly into Cuba and then from there to Jamaica,” the Minister added.

The event, Mr. Bartlett said, is expected to attract more than 3,500 delegates from 350 airlines, 1,000 airports, and 300 tourism authorities from some 125 countries.

World Routes is the annual meeting place for airlines, airports, tourism authorities and other aviation stakeholders. It is where the world’s airline network planners meet with tourism authorities and their airports in order to evaluate existing air services and explore the potential for new ones.