ST JAMES, Jamaica – Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has summoned tourism stakeholders to an emergency meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning in a proactive move to discuss the implications of Brexit, among other issues affecting the sector.

The meeting will convene at 10:00 am at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.

“The effect of Brexit has an immediate impact on the value of the pound and with the value of the pound that will influence the cost of affordability in Jamaica to the British tourists,” the tourism minister argued.

“The fact is we are not showing any fallout as yet, but we have to be proactive. So the meeting tomorrow is a proactive move to bring the partners together just to look at possible implications and the plan of action.”

Bartlett noted that the discussions will also surround the Canadian and US markets.

“I have called for a meeting with the JHTA, the JTB and key stakeholders for tomorrow at 10:00 am at the Montego Bay Convention Centre to discuss the state of the industry and particularly the state of the three main markets that are critical to us: Canada, which is having challenges in terms of its economy; the United States, which is in the mode of elections and they usually have issues at this time; and the UK,” the tourism minister told OBSERVER ONLINE.

Horace Hines