LONDON, United Kingdom — Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett on Monday wrapped up a live interview on CNN with prominent business news anchor, Richard Quest, on his show “Quest Means Business”.

The live interview took place at CNN’s studios in London with Quest in CNN’s New York City studios at 4:45 pm (Jamaica time).

“Bartlett was questioned on the current enhanced security measures in the parish of St James, as well as the need to build disaster resilience for Caribbean countries heavily involved in tourism, developments in the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and his recent award in Berlin, Germany as World Tourism Minister of the Year,” according to the minister’s senior advisor/strategist, Delano Seiveright.

Bartlett is on the final leg of a European visit which had taken him to Greece, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

“The UK is primarily focused on speaking with the international press about positive developments in Jamaica, and to reassure them that the island remains safe, seamless and secure,” Seiveright noted.

In Germany, Bartlett led a delegation to the ITB Berlin (Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin) the world’s largest tourism trade fair. It attracts around 109,000 visitors and 10,000 exhibitors to trade stands, talks and workshops.

The minister’s European trip has become even more important to the sustainability of the local tourism product, following recent security issues, including the state of emergency declared in the city of Montego Bay.

Director of Tourism, Donovan White, also accompanied on the European trip, as did European based Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) officials.

Seiveright noted that the team’s visit was a success, with several major developments including additional non-stop flights between Europe and Jamaica to start this summer; the opening up of other markets in Europe; increased European cruise activities; and heightened investor interest in the island.

Jamaica welcomed a record 325,804 European tourists last year, approximately 31,000 more than the previous year.