KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, will travel to Madrid, Spain tomorrow to participate in several engagements with strategic tourism partners, including major Spanish investors and attend key meetings of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Bartlett is expected to meet with colleagues at the UNTWO before signing an important agreement for Jamaica to host a major UNWTO Conference to mark the 2017 International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

The event is said to be the first of its kind as it will involve both arms of the UNWTO – the private sector and public sector – coming together to put on a global event.

“We are very excited that Jamaica has been selected to host such a prestigious event. It will see the coming together of some 157 tourism ministers from around the world as well as the participation of some 500 companies that are involved in tourism services,” said  Bartlett.

While in Madrid, the minister will also meet with Spanish investors who are set to make a major announcement about a new property to be built in Trelawny.

“One of the five pillars of our growth strategy is securing new investments, so we are actively seeking to attract more and more investments to improve Jamaica’s tourism product. So I am very eager to meet with them to have in-depth discussions about the property,” Bartlett added.

The minister will also attend FITUR, the largest International Tourism Trade Fair for inbound and outbound Ibero/American markets. There, he will have an opportunity to meet tourism suppliers and industry leaders from around the world to exchange ideas and best practices.

Bartlett is scheduled to return to the island on January 21.