Edmund Bartlett | Sustainable tourism for sustainable development - Plugging leakages by strengthening linkages

The following is an excerpt from Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett's contribution to the Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives yesterday.

Despite global, regional and local disruptions such as climate change, pandemics, terrorism, crime and cybercrime, among many others, the tourism sector continues to be one of the fastest-growing sectors and one of the leading contributors to global gross domestic product (GDP).

As a matter of fact, preliminary data compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have indicated that international travel continued to perform strongly in 2017, further consolidating the tourism sector as a key enabler of economic development globally. According to the UNWTO, international tourist arrivals grew by a remarkable seven per cent in 2017, to reach a total of 1.3 billion visitors travelling around the globe. This strong momentum is expected to continue into 2018 at a rate of four per cent to five per cent. This was the sector's strongest performance in seven years.

The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) states that travel and tourism's direct, indirect and induced impact last year accounted for:

- US$8.3 trillion contribution to Global GDP (10.4 per cent)

- US$882 billion investment(4.5 per cent of total investment)

Beyond this strict economic contribution, and perhaps most important, at the global level, according to the WTTC, in 2017, the industry accounted for 313 million jobs or one in every 10 jobs, and more than 30 per cent of trade in services. The sector is thus positioned as a major contributor to sustainable livelihood and, by extension, national development.

The enormity of the tourism sector today is even recognised by Wall Street as global travel is now being recognised as an attractive investment area... .

We recognise that tourism is a main driver of economic growth and development for Jamaica, and this is why we have established measurable and attainable goals that are underpinned by my 5x5x5 growth agenda.

To ensure we achieve this growth agenda, we have established the pillars of growth that are driven by the Tourism Linkages Network. Based on our projections, it seems we may well surpass our goals by 2020:

- Already we have welcomed 4.3 million and the target is 5 million

- Already we have earned approximately 3 billion and the target is 5 billion

- Already we have employed 116,000 tourism workers and the target is 125,000

- Already we are on track to adding 15,000 new rooms; and

- The growth of the tourism sector in Jamaica exceeded the projected five per cent annual growth. It has long been established that adaptation is the key to survival. That is what we are doing here, adapting to the changing local, regional and global environment. But not only to survive but to strive.

The world respects 'Tourism Jamaica'. The world looks to Jamaica for tourism solutions, models and products. And this is evidenced by the many partnerships, intellectual engagements and recognition 'Tourism Jamaica' has received in the last two years.

We have indicated the global trends in relation to how new models are emerging, such as mergers, acquisitions and consolidation to create greater efficiencies and to make price points more attractive and to adapt so we can strive.

However, investment is predicated on the access to capital, and the banking and financial sectors in Jamaica have to step up to the plate now in response to what the global partners are doing and provide a window of opportunity for investment in tourism both on the demand and supply side.

We will plug the leakages because that is how tourism will transform this society from poverty to prosperity.

- Edmund Bartlett is Jamaica's minister of tourism.