Focus on harnessing tourism recovery through resilience and investment

Jamaica is petitioning the international community to observe February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day. 

Jamaica’s tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett, who is leading the petition, is currently advocating to the United Nations for the observation of a Global Tourism Resilience Day beginning February 17, 2023. Jamaica will officially launch the first ever Global Tourism Resilience Day at the current Expo 2020 Dubai on February 17, 2022.

Bartlett, who is the co-chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), noted that the Global Tourism Resilience Day will be commemorated by Jamaica on February 17, as the island prepares to mark Jamaica Day the following day.

RECOVER QUICKLY FROM SHOCKS

In a press release, Bartlett explained that the focus of the day will be on the ability of countries to build capacity to respond to international shocks and to be able to predict with greater certainty their responses.

In addition, Global Tourism Resilience Day will also aid countries in understanding and mitigating the effects of these shocks on their development, but most importantly, it will help them manage and recover quickly afterwards.

The theme for the inaugural Global Tourism Resilience Day forum will be “Harnessing the Path to Recovery through Resilience and Investment” and will highlight the inherent and unquestionable links between tourism resilience and re-generation.

For his part, GTRCMC and Resilience Council Co-Chair, Dr Taleb Rifai highlighted that the, “Dubai Expo offers a perfect space to showcase our work and build global partnerships with key decision makers continuing our mission to provide guidance to global, regional, and national tourism stakeholders”.

The Dubai Expo has just surpassed 10 million visitors and has 108 countries represented in individual pavilions. Global and regional speakers will share key information on investment, which leads to resilience. 

Case studies will be highlighted by speakers such as Prime Minister Andrew Holness, President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, Minister Reyes Morato of Spain, Minister Faisal Al-Fayez of Jordan, Adam Stewart, executive chairman of Sandals Resorts International, as well as Julia Simpson, CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council, along with others.