The Princess Grand Jamaica was the venue for World Tourism Resilience Day, reviewing digital transformation for Building Overall Tourism Resilience.
Under the leadership of Professor Wallace, executive director of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center, and the Hon. Minister of Tourism for Jamaica, Edmund Bartlett, this two-day event was packed with content.
Big Data and Tourism Resilience, Cybersecurity, privacy and Security in Tourism, utilizing the Internet of Things for enhanced service delivery, transforming developing country destinations with digital technology, and harnessing generative artificial intelligence for tourism resilience were on the agenda.
At a high-level ministerial lunch meeting yesterday, The Most Honourable Andrew Michael Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, said that climate change is real and emphasized Jamaica’s goal to become independent of foreign influences, putting resilience at the top of his agenda.
The Hon. Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett managed to invite Mexican Gloria Guevara and Greek Harry Theoharis successfully, and both addressed the audience of Caribbean tourism ministers and professionals in their bit to lead UN-Tourism starting in 2026
The most anticipated person who was to address World Tourism Resilience Day was Zurab Pololikashvili, the current Secretary General who has been manipulating UN rules, so he can run for a third term. He was a no-show, which indicates his reluctance to meet his running mates and face the press.
One of the questions this author would have asked Zurab is how he could justify using UN Tourism resources to campaign, how he was able to manipulate rules, and why the UN Tourism centers were all in countries that are part of the executive council and able to vote in the upcoming election.
Maybe the biggest fear for Mr. Polikasvili was answering questions about corruption and his involvement in one of the most high-profile crimes investigated in Spain by authorities involving him directly in a million-dollar scam to defraud the government during the COVID pandemic.
Natalia Bayona, the organization’s executive director, represented UN Tourism and led the World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) innovation, education, and investment strategy.
Like this publisher, Natalia Bayona remembered the excellent meetings her country, Colombia, had hosted for UNWTO before Zurab Polikasvili took office.
Sitting next to each other, Gloria and Harry had one common goal: to make UN Tourism relevant again if one of them wins the upcoming election.
Presentation by Gloria Guevara:
Presentation by Harry Theoharis:
Serious business, engaging discussions, great food surrounded this event, and of course, a Gala Dinner Jamaica-Style
