Berlin, Germany— Jamaica has reinforced its position as a global leader in tourism resilience following high-level discussions between Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlettand Shaikha Al Nowais, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, at ITB Berlin 2026.
The meeting, held during one of the world’s largest travel trade shows, focused on strengthening international collaboration to future-proof the global tourism sector against shocks, including climate-related disasters, economic disruptions, and public health crises.
“Bouncing Forward” After Hurricane Melissa
Minister Bartlett provided an update on Jamaica’s recovery following Hurricane Melissa, outlining a strategy centered on “bouncing forward” rather than simply returning to pre-disaster levels.
He highlighted expanded airlift arrangements, the addition of new international routes and targeted infrastructural investments as central pillars of the recovery effort. The Minister also emphasized the importance of managing tourism growth responsibly to protect communities and preserve Jamaica’s social capital.
“Resilience must not be reactive,” Bartlett noted. “It must be built into the DNA of tourism development.”
Global Tourism Resilience Agenda
During the discussions, Bartlett reaffirmed Jamaica’s support for Secretary-General Al Nowais’ tenure and proposed deeper cooperation on a Global Tourism Resilience Agenda. He advocated positioning resilience as the foundation of sustainable tourism worldwide.
Among the key proposals advanced were expanded capacity-building initiatives, workforce professionalisation, enhanced tourism education and greater integration of innovation and digital tools. The Minister also promoted Jamaica’s “Local First” initiative, designed to ensure that tourism growth delivers measurable benefits to local communities.
UN Tourism’s Strategic Priorities
Secretary-General Al Nowais outlined UN Tourism’s forward-looking priorities, which include strengthening institutional governance, enhancing communications, expanding collaboration with the private sector and building future-ready tourism skills. She also stressed embedding sustainability across environmental, economic and social dimensions of the industry.
Both parties agreed to pursue follow-up actions centered on resilience frameworks, capacity-building partnerships, improved data sharing and the use of digital technologies to enhance destination preparedness and recovery.
The engagement further solidifies Jamaica’s standing as a leading voice in shaping the global tourism agenda and underscores its commitment to advancing resilience as the cornerstone of sustainable tourism development.
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