KINGSTON, Jamaica — Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) has honoured Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett and Permanent Secretary Jennifer Griffith with special citations at the 8th staging of the Tourism Service Excellence Awards (TSEA).

According to a release on Wednesday, each received a framed citation during the 8th staging of the awards on Saturday, October 31, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. The tributes formed part of TPDCo’s 30th anniversary celebrations. TSEA Co-Chair Marline Stephenson Dalley read the citations to the audience, and TPDCo Executive Director Wade Mars presented the physical citations on stage.

Minister Bartlett’s citation, “From Westmoreland to the World”, traced the journey of the tourism leader whose vision has been a driving force behind the Tourism Service Excellence Awards since the programme was launched in 2008, when it was introduced as part of a bold new approach to repositioning Jamaica’s tourism product.

Under his leadership, Jamaica has steadily built a tourism model that places people at the centre. That includes the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation (JCTI), which offers workers stackable, internationally portable certifications, and the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme, which now has over 10,000 members and approximately $6 billion in savings.

Earlier on the night, the minister delivered the keynote address, reminding the audience that Jamaica’s 42 per cent repeat-visitor rate rests on how well the industry treats and develops its workers.

Griffith’s citation, titled “A Legacy of Vision, Leadership and Service”, recognised her two decades at the helm of the Ministry of Tourism’s administrative leadership. She has served as permanent secretary since 2006, helping to guide the policies, programmes and initiatives that have positioned Jamaica’s tourism industry for sustainable growth.

Her fingerprints are on some of the sector’s most significant milestones, including the Tourism Master Plan for Sustainable Development, the establishment of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the Tourism Workers Pension Scheme, all of which continue to shape how the industry grows and who benefits from it.

The recognition came at a landmark moment for the awards. The 8th TSEA, held under the theme “The Chosen Gems of Jamaica”, was the first staging since 2019, following disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa. It celebrated 25 finalists and coincided with TPDCo’s 30th anniversary.

Established in 1996, TPDCo is the central agency mandated by the Government of Jamaica, operating under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Tourism, to facilitate the maintenance, development and enhancement of the tourism product.

The Tourism Service Excellence Awards is the Ministry of Tourism’s premier recognition programme, spearheaded by TPDCo, and honours individuals and organisations that consistently exceed customer expectations and strengthen Jamaica’s reputation as a world-class tourism destination.