His enthusiasm was shared as the tourism sector celebrated the return of the island’s major travel tradeshow post-pandemic, JAPEX (Jamaica Product Exchange), with an elaborate opening event at Chukka Outpost on the Sandy Bay coastline Monday night. “As we currently stand, we are about to have the best year in the history of tourism in Jamaica for stopover arrivals, 2023,” he exuded.

The record of 3.8 million visitors in less than four years after the COVID-19 pandemic had shut down tourism travel globally has been hailed by Mr. Bartlett as a feat achieved through a solid partnership with the international and local tourism partners who are attending the three-day marketing event at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

“Jamaica today boasts that it is the number one destination in the entire English-speaking Caribbean and arguably in the entire Americas, thank you.”

This is what the Hon. Jamaica Tourism Minister told the tourism partners, noting that this had been achieved because of their confidence, continued support and commitment to Jamaica.

Minister Bartlett also informed the tourism stakeholders that investments in Jamaica’s tourism sector remained strong and bullish and “next year alone we’ll be having 2,000 new rooms for you to sell for us when you go back to your destinations.” There will also be new attractions and Jamaica remained committed to safety, security and seamlessness, he assured them.

Attendees to JAPEX 2023 are from all across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Latin America, Eastern Europe, and Minister Bartlett outlined that next week he will be visiting Canada as well as the United Kingdom to further boost travel there through the Jamaica Marketplace trade event.

SEEN IN IMAGE: Notables in tourism (from left) Executive Director of Jamaica Vacations, Joy Roberts; former President of Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Omar Robinson; current JHTA President, Robin Russell; Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett; Nadine Spence, JHTA Montego Bay Area Chairman; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith; Chief Executive Officer, CHUKKA Caribbean Adventures, Marc Melville, Managing Director of CHUKKA, John Byles and Director of Tourism, Donovan White, share lens time prior to the start of the JAPEX 2023 opening event on Monday, September 11.