Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett will be inducted into the British Travel and Hospitality Hall of Fame next month to add to his already long list of global recognition for sterling services in the hospitality industry.

He will receive the award alongside four other global industry leaders including: Simon Cooper, founder and chief executive of On the Beach; former World Travel Market chairman and founder of Just a Drop, Fiona Jeffery; Larry Pimentel, president and chief executive of Azamara; and Bill Toner, chief executive of catering giant CH&Co,on March 23, at the world-famous Dorchester Hotel in London, England.

Bartlett ascribed the honour in part to the Ministry of Tourism’s dedication and consistency in ensuring that the tourism industry “remains viable and resilient”.

“I am truly honoured to be inducted in the prestigious British Travel Hall of Fame and I accept on behalf of my beautiful island home, Jamaica and my hard-working team,”  said Bartlett.

The British Travel and Hospitality Hall of Fame is a prestigious awards ceremony which recognises the highest achievers in the travel, hospitality, tourism, and leisure sectors.

“Minister Bartlett has developed a solid reputation as a global leader for tourism and tourism thought.

Jamaica’s success over the years under his leadership as minister of tourism, despite numerous local and exogenous challenges, is of significant note,” noted senior advisor and strategist for tourism, Delano Seiveright.

According to organisers, inductees to the Hall of Fame are selected based on their success in the travel industry as well as how they mentor, inspire, and shape the lives of those around them.

The Hall of Fame is owned and hosted by Jacobs Media Group, which is the parent company of leading travel and hospitality media brands such as Travel Weekly, The Caterer, Aspire, Travolution, and Connections.

 In recent times Minister Bartlett has copped several local and international awards including the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) Tourism Minister of the Year for Sustainable Tourism, and was recognised with the inaugural Chairman’s Award for Global Tourism Innovation at the 2019 Travvy Awards held in New York City, the RJR/Gleaner Hospitality Jamaica 2019 Pioneer Award, among many others.

During his first tenure as tourism minister, Bartlett became vice-chairman of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), representing the Americas; vice-president for the 19th General Assembly of the UNWTO held in South Korea in 2011; vice-president of the 2009 UNWTO Conference held in Kazakhstan; and chairman of Caricom’s subcommittee Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) in 2009 in the areas of tourism and transportation/civil aviation.