Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett on Tuesday noted that the private visit by Prince Harry and American Actress Megan Markel to Jamaica for the wedding of his close friend Tom Inskip reinforces the country’s premier status as a world-leading wedding destination.

A release from the Ministry of Toursim said, in addition to being awarded the Caribbean’s Leading Destination last year, Jamaica was also awarded the world’s leading wedding destination by the World Travel Awards. The World Travel Awards, according to the ministry, was established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry.

Bartlett also noted that the private visit is a boon to now renewed efforts for Jamaica to attract more high-end and celebrity visitors.

“There is a buzz out there for Jamaica and our authentic culture and experiences. People want to be here and want to enjoy themselves in privacy and absolute comfort,” the minister noted.

Bartlett stated that he was proud of the high levels of professionalism and the very discreet handling of the wedding, given the fact that many of its attendees are very high-profile Britons.

He also congratulated a small team of Government officials and the Round Hill Hotel and Villas management team for maintaining secrecy as the visit neared and their outstanding efforts to ensure the guests thoroughly enjoyed themselves in as private a way as possible.

The ministry said chief of State protocol, Ambassador Elinor Felix; senior advisor to the tourism minister, Delano Seiveright; Economic Growth Council member Paula Kerr-Jarrett; and the VIP Protection Services Division of the Jamaica Constabulary Force organised the prince’s visit with their British counterparts, including the Royal Protection Squad of London’s Metropolitan Police.

After arriving in the island last week Wednesday, the ministry said Prince Harry was escorted with his British and Jamaican security detail into waiting motor vehicles on the tarmac, processed by select immigrations officials, and then spent a few minutes with Felix, Seiveright and Kerr-Jarrett at the Government’s VIP Lounge at the airport discussing his excitement about the wedding, his joyous experiences when he last visited Jamaica, and his love for the people.

Bartlett is currently in Berlin, Germany, participating in the largest tourism tradeshow in the world, ITB Berlin, and the International Hotel Investment Forum which focuses on delivering opportunities to people who currently operate within the tourism industry or who want to do business in the sector, including tourism and government officials.

He is also participating in a special press briefing to boost publicity worldwide for the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s historic Global Conference on Building Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism for Development, being hosted by Jamaica from November 27 – 29, 2017, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre.