NEW YORK, United States — The regional tourism industry is set to take centre stage during the UNWTO, Government of Jamaica and World Bank Group Conference on Jobs & Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St James, November 27-29.

Speaking at a press conference today at the Consulate General of Jamaica in New York, during Caribbean Week, Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett noted that, given the region’s dependency on tourism, it was important that the conference provides solutions on how the Caribbean can better leverage this industry.“The conference programme, though global in nature, is highly significant to the Caribbean. And therefore, we felt that we should incorporate a programme specific to the Caribbean and some of the issues we grapple with. This programme will take place on the first day of the conference on November 27,” he noted.With the regional focus on opening day, the Ministry of Tourism received the endorsement of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) from Secretary General Hugh Riley and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourist Association (CHTA) by way of chief marketing officer Matt Cooper.Bartlett said tourism is the single largest generator of foreign exchange in 16 of the 28 countries in the Caribbean, and the sector receiving the most foreign direct investment (FDI), adding that the region has a higher proportion of total employment and percentage of GDP derived from tourism than any other region in the world.