Tourism Minister Says Direct Foreign Investments In Sector Have Not Waned
By: , May 26, 2021
Photo: Contributed
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (centre) and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill (right), with three of the most powerful women in the global tourism industry (from left): CEO of Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Sabina Fluxà; Executive Vice President and CEO of Grupo Piñero, Encarna Piñero, and owner and CEO of the RIU Hotels & Resorts chain, Carmen Riu Güell. The group discussed possible investment opportunities during their meeting at the FITUR tourism tradeshow, in Madrid, Spain, recently.The Full Story
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, says direct foreign investments in Jamaica’s hospitality sector have not waned, even with tourism being badly affected by the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The Minister’s confidence is fueled by confirmation that 980 new rooms will be added to the nation’s stock.
Mr. Bartlett, who was in Madrid, Spain, attending the recent international tourism trade fair, FITUR, revealed that the AMResorts Group has just inked a deal that will see the construction of a 280-room Dreams resort and a 700-room Secrets resort in Montego Bay, St. James, and Richmond, St. Ann, respectively.
AMResorts is the fastest growing luxury leisure company in all of North America, with upscale resorts located throughout Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. It also has a proven track record in sales marketing and brand management services.
Mr. Bartlett, who was accompanied by Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Aubyn Hill, said the forum could not have been more beneficial for Jamaica.
“We fully secured the 700 rooms I spoke of in my presentation in Parliament — that property will be in Richmond, St. Ann, between Grizzly’s Entertainment Centre and Priory – and a 280-room top-end Dreams in Montego Freeport, where Hard Rock Café was,” he told JIS News.
The Minister noted that plans “to expand the hotels’ reach into Jamaican communities through greater and sustainable supplies to the properties, and partnerships in manufacturing, energy and logistics,” were also discussed.
He said that meetings were also held with SAMPOL, the group that deals with a lot of the supply side of tourism.
“We are excited about the possibility of that side of tourism because this is where we want to go in the resetting of the sector, ensuring that more of the supplies that the industry needs are sourced in Jamaica, through Jamaican partnerships or Jamaican entities,” the Tourism Minister added.
FITUR 2021, which was held from May 19 to 23, was the first appointment of the year for the world’s tourism professionals and the leading trade fair for inbound and outbound markets in Latin America.