Tourism Minister Highlights Importance of Youth Engagement in Sectoral Developments

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has underscored the importance of industry stakeholders engaging the nation’s youth in meaningful discourse on developments within the tourism sector.

His remarks come in the context of Friday’s (September 26) World Tourism Day 2025 Youth Forum at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James, where more than 300 students from across the island are actively participating.

The forum, organised by the Tourism Ministry and its affiliated agencies, aims to engage students—particularly members of Tourism Action Clubs (TAC)—from across the island in substantive discussions on tourism’s evolving role in national and global developments.

This year’s staging, being held to commemorate World Tourism Day on Saturday, September 27, is focusing on the global World Tourism Day theme – ‘Tourism and Sustainable Transformation’.

Mr. Bartlett told JIS News that, as in previous years, the flagship event was designed to foster intellectual exchange between tourism stakeholders and the nation’s youth.

“This… to engage their minds in exploring areas of sustainability action as well as thought. It is important for our young people to create new ideas, to build new processes and to think through innovation and sustainability practices,” he said.

The Minister further commended the many students who, as active members of TACs, are embracing the principles of sustainability—recognising planet, people, and prosperity as its three foundational pillars.

Meanwhile, Tourism Director at the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Donovan White, said the future of the country’s tourism industry depends on young people and, as such the Youth Forum provides the opportunity for them to learn more about the industry as well as interact, share ideas and learn from the presenters.

He noted that forums such as this, play a vital role in dispelling common misconceptions surrounding careers in tourism.

“Too many young people think tourism careers mean entry level or low-income paying jobs. The truth is that tourism requires as much as any other industry,” Mr. White said, adding that doctors, marketeers, hotel managers, entrepreneurs, engineers, architects, accountants, event planners are all part of the ecosystem driving tourism.

Among the features of this year’s forum are a series of panel discussions, interactive sessions, and creative showcases.