Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism for the Caribbean island of Jamaica, has been awarded the title of Worldwide Tourism Minister of the Year by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association.
The award was presented during the ITB Berlin trade show in Germany.
Upon receiving the honour, minister Bartlett said: “It is truly humbling to be recognised in this manner at such a major international event.
“I accept this award, not for myself but for the people of Jamaica.
“It is clear that we have made our mark on the globe.
“The world now knows that Jamaica can host the biggest conferences and that we have some of the best attractions and hotels.
“No matter the passion point of our visitor, we can deliver.”
In November Jamaica hosted the largest gathering of hospitality professionals ever assembled in the Caribbean.
Organised under the auspices of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the Global Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism sought to being together public and private stakeholders to forge a consensus on how to develop the hospitality sector.
The event was considered a personal success for minister Bartlett.
During the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association event Jamaica also received the International Travel Award for Best Destination for Adventure Tourism.
PATWA is a professional organisation of travel writers, which was founded in 1998 and works with both the public and private sectors to support sustainable growth and improve the quality of travel and tourism.
It adheres to the fundamental principles of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the United Nations, and the World Tourism Organisation.
PATWA is an affiliate member of UNWTO.
The awards were given at the ITB global tourism tradeshow, the largest of its kind globally, attracting around 109,000 visitors and 10,000 exhibitors.
The tradeshow also has an audience of international travel and tourism leaders from around the world.
World Travel Awards
Minister Bartlett is later this year expected to welcome the World Travel Awards back to Jamaica.
The organisation will host the annual Caribbean & North America Gala Ceremony in Montego Bay on September 22nd.
The event will this year be hosted by Sandals Montego Bay.
Under the leadership of minister Bartlett, Jamaica was recognised as the Caribbean’s Leading Destination in 2017.