Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
Bartlett upbeat as he reflects on Jamaica’s tourism in new book
Edmund Bartlett
News
BY HG HELPS Editor-at-large helpsh@jamaicaobserver.com  
April 10, 2022

Bartlett upbeat as he reflects on Jamaica’s tourism in new book

THE survival of Jamaica’s tourism during the novel coronavirus pandemic, and planning strategies for the industry’s future have been highlighted in a new book authored by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and university professor, Lloyd Waller.

The 291-page publication, Tourism Resilience and Recovery for Global Sustainability and Development, focuses heavily on how the pandemic virtually brought a tourism-dependent economy like Jamaica almost to its knees.

Now that full recovery is in sight and there are prospects for brighter days ahead, Bartlett has also highlighted some of the initiatives, in the short run, that will spell further positives for the industry.

In Chapter 9, ‘Saving Jamaica’s tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic’, sub-titled ‘Some reflections from my lived experiences’, Bartlett said that just before the start of the pandemic in February 2020 the country had recorded six per cent growth in stopover arrivals, with projections that by the end of the year that figure would have jumped into double-digit growth.

“The pandemic, however, began its global spread in March and by April, due to the various restrictions on domestic and international travel imposed by most countries, the tourism sector came to a complete halt, with all the airports and tourism establishments — including hotels, villas, attractions, shopping malls, and ground transportation — being forced to cease commercial operations.

“During the months of April and May 2020 there was virtually no activity in the major components of the tourism sector. This led to a steep decline in earnings from tourism for tourism operators as well as those entities that supply inputs to the tourism industry. The closure of the tourism industry resulted in the 172,000-strong tourism labour force being reduced by 70 per cent during the peak of the pandemic,” Bartlett wrote.

The minister suggested in his writing that recovery figures at this stage looked promising, and members of the tourism fraternity were upbeat.

“The first three months of 2021 were positive. The country welcomed 40,055 visitors in January, 40,076 in February, and over 69,040 in March. For the upcoming fiscal year we expect to realise growth of 122 per cent on earnings and 236 per cent in visitor arrivals, over the previous year. By the end of the year the current projection is that the island will welcome 1.043 million stopover visitors, which would constitute a 117 per cent increase over last year’s stopover arrivals,” Bartlett wrote.

The crucial cruise shipping sector, which had seen pre-pandemic growth, is showing “significant promise for rebound”, Bartlett wrote, adding that he had admonished those involved in that part of the tourism industry to be well-prepared for far greater things.

“Over the past two years the Government has spent billions of dollars upgrading and developing the ports of Ocho Rios, Falmouth, and more recently Port Royal to enhance the country’s capacity to welcome more of the world’s large cruise ships,” Bartlett noted.

“I continue to lead the ministry’s discussions with various cruise lines for home-porting of vessels, given the massive spin-off benefits from such arrangements,” Bartlett wrote.

As part of Jamaica’s ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’, Bartlett wrote, the island had set out to meet key growth targets which included five million visitors, five billion United States dollars in earnings, and 5,000 new hotel rooms by 2025.

The cover of the book co-authored by Tourism Minister Edmund bartlett and Professor Lloyd Waller.(Photo: Karl Mclarty)

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Child’s body found in Trelawny; two injured by irate residents in mob attack
Latest News, News
Child’s body found in Trelawny; two injured by irate residents in mob attack
July 21, 2026
TRELAWNY, Jamaica — Police are now on a scene where the body of a child was found with her throat slashed in Tyre district near Troy in south Trelawny...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Toll from Venezuela double earthquakes reaches 5,346 killed
Latest News, Regional
Toll from Venezuela double earthquakes reaches 5,346 killed
July 21, 2026
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — The death toll from the double earthquakes that struck Venezuela nearly a month ago has reached 5,346, according to the lat...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaica Post being repositioned as Gov’t service centre
Latest News, News
Jamaica Post being repositioned as Gov’t service centre
July 21, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — With approximately 400 postal points islandwide,  Jamaica Post is being repositioned as a government service centre to improve acc...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Brent crude passes $92 a barrel, highest price since June amid US-Iran flare up
International News, Latest News
Brent crude passes $92 a barrel, highest price since June amid US-Iran flare up
July 21, 2026
HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Oil rose in Asian trade Wednesday, with Brent crude hitting its highest price in more than a month, as Iran targeted United S...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jamaican civil society groups participate in capacity-building human rights workshop
Latest News, News
Jamaican civil society groups participate in capacity-building human rights workshop
July 21, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican civil society organisations are now better equipped to engage with international human rights processes following a Unite...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Section of Mineral Heights to Lionel Town main road collapses— NSWMA
Latest News, News
Section of Mineral Heights to Lionel Town main road collapses— NSWMA
July 21, 2026
CLARENDON, Jamaica — The National Works Agency (NWA) is advising motorists to exercise extreme caution at this time when using the main road from Mine...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
‘Pink Panther’ saxophonist Plas Johnson dies at 94
International News, Latest News
‘Pink Panther’ saxophonist Plas Johnson dies at 94
July 21, 2026
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Jazz musician Plas Johnson, whose silky tenor saxophone played the Grammy-winning "Pink Panther" theme song, died J...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
US readies new tariffs as Trump’s 10% global levy to expire
International News, Latest News
US readies new tariffs as Trump’s 10% global levy to expire
July 21, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States is set to impose new tariffs that could hit dozens of countries soon, trade envoy Jamieson Greer s...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct