He reiterated how this ownership would accelerate investment and local revenue. Speaking at the International Tourism and Investment Conference (ITIC) Global Tourism Investment Summit in London, Bartlett pointed out how making local suppliers owners could be a way of retaining foreign exchange and offering better conditions for investors.
“Tourism relies on all other sectors to operate yet owns none,” Minister Bartlett observed. “This interdependence affords a space for the local farmers, manufacturers, and creative industries to service tourism’s growing needs and hence reap greater local benefits and retention of the tourism dollar.”
Minister Bartlett delivered the speech during the summit’s Investment Ministerial Panel, which was themed, “The responsibility of governments to develop a strategic plan for an investment-focused tourism agenda of the future.” With him were Ms. Mariana Oleskiv, Chairperson of Ukraine’s State Agency for Tourism Development; Hon. Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, Kenya; Hon. Vera Kamtukule, Minister of Tourism, Malawi; and Siby Diabira, IFC Senior Manager for Western Europe.
His was a message of paradigm change, as he directed efforts toward the attraction of attractive conditions for strategic investors and not just marketing for higher demand in tourism. “It opens new investment avenues on the local supply side for tourism infrastructure,” he noted.
He also brought into the discussion the Tourism Linkages Network in Jamaica: connecting tourism to the agricultural and manufacturing sectors with improved local production for economically sound communities.
The ITIC summit is a part of the annual series at the World Travel Market (WTM). It attracts tourism ministers, industry experts, and investors into sustainable tourism investments. Minister Bartlett heads the delegation for Jamaica at WTM London running from 5-7 November which is the global event where travel and tourism professionals assemble for networking, education, and business.
