TOURISM Minister Edmund Bartlett has issued a rallying cry for the global tourism industry to confront what he called the “digital battlefield”, warning that misinformation, disinformation and cyber threats are now shaping tourism outcomes as much as climate change, health security and geopolitics.

Addressing delegates during the 4th Global Tourism Resilience Day Conference and Expo on Tuesday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, Bartlett said resilience in the modern era must extend beyond physical infrastructure to include the protection of tourism’s digital and reputational space.

“Resilience produces faster recovery, so jobs return sooner and communities stabilise quicker. Resilience produces confidence, so travellers keep choosing destination — even in uncertain times. But to move from crisis to transformation, we must name the threats that now define the next decade,” Bartlett said.

He listed climate, health security, geopolitics, economic shocks, and public safety before stressing that today’s tourism sector also faces three fresh hurdles on the digital battlefield.

He asserted that misinformation, disinformation and fake news “are now shaping tourism outcomes more than many people realise”, and warned that false or manipulated information could inflict direct economic harm on destinations.

“Misinformation is not merely noise, it is economic damage. A false story can empty hotels. A distorted clip can trigger cancellations. A fabricated advisory can punish a destination that is safe and ready. This information is worse because it is intentional. It weaponises fear. It manipulates perception and it attacks confidence — the very energy that tourism needs to breathe,” the minister said.

He also cautioned that cyber threats are no longer abstract risks.

“A ransomware attack can shut down reservation payments, airports and hotel operations; a data breach can expose visitors and citizens, erode trust, and trigger costly consequences. An outrage can interrupt movements, logistics and safety. The modern traveller demands convenience, but convenience without cyber safety becomes vulnerability,” he said.

“That is why resilience today means defending not only the destination infrastructure but the destination’s information space. Not only the tourism product, but the tourism reputation. Not only the physical journey, but the digital journey,” the minister added.

Bartlett pointed to the work of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre and its international partners as a model for how destinations can shift from reactive crisis management to engineered resilience.

“They have transformed tourism by mainstreaming resilience, by building capacity, by convening knowledge, and by transferring learning across borders, so that one destination’s hard lesson becomes another destination’s early warning,” he said.

Looking ahead, he argued that the future of tourism demands a deliberate shift.

“The future demands that we move from resilience as a reaction to resilience as a design, because transformation is not accidental. It is engineered. And if resilience is to be engineered, two forces must lead it: research and convening,” Bartlett said, praising Kenya’s leadership in hosting the event at which he was speaking.

The minister also underscored the wider significance of Global Tourism Resilience Day, particularly for developing regions.

“The private sector strengthens continuity and crisis response. Communities deepen safety nets and local linkages. Universities drive research, training and innovation. Young people see tourism not only as employment but as a future — skilled, modern and resilient,” he said.

“This day is not about ceremony. It is about capability. It is about standards. It is about systems,” Bartlett insisted.

He added that the commemoration of the day strengthens South-South cooperation.

“The Global South cannot afford to confront global risk in isolation. Africa and the Caribbean, Latin America and the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean, our regions are exposed to climate shocks, economic volatility, external market shifts and digital vulnerabilities. But we also share strengths, ingenuity under pressure, strong communities, and a history of rebuilding,” Bartlett said.

“Tourism Resilience Day becomes a bridge where we exchange tools, share strategies, build training pipelines, and spread solution faster than threats can spread,” he added.

Bartlett departed Jamaica last Friday for Nairobi to participate in the high-level gathering which runs from February 15–18, 2026.

Global Tourism Resilience Day was officially proclaimed by the United Nations in 2023, following sustained advocacy led by Bartlett, positioning Jamaica as a global thought leader on tourism resilience.

“What does resilience really produce when it is real?” Bartlett asked during Tuesday’s event.

“Resilience produces continuity so businesses do not collapse at the first disruption,” he responded.