Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett was on Wednesday honoured with a “Lifetime Achievement Award For Promotion of Sustainable Travel & Tourism” by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) International Travel Awards. The award was presented at the PATWA World Tourism & Aviation Leaders’ Summit at the ITB Berlin.
“I am honoured and humbled to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award. I am passionate about tourism, and I am equally passionate about the sustainable development of tourism. It is the only way that the industry can be leveraged as a catalyst for economic growth and the transformation of communities and nations,” Barnett said.
“For long-term success tourism must be economically viable, socially inclusive and environmentally friendly. This award is proof that my advocacy is getting traction and has not fallen on deaf ears,” said Barnett who is attending ITB Berlin, the world´s biggest travel show and convention, which attracts thousands of tourism professionals and key players from the global travel industry.
The event which runs until Thursday is being held under the theme “Open for Change”.
The PATWA International Travel Awards recognize individuals and organizations that have excelled and are involved in the promotion of tourism from different sectors of the travel trade such as aviation, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, destinations, government bodies, tourism ministries and other service providers related directly or indirectly to the industry.
Bartlett has become a powerful voice and tireless advocate for global tourism resilience and sustainability. Most recently, he was inducted into the Global Tourism Hall of Fame and received the Travel Pulse award for Global Tourism Innovation.
Additionally, he is the founder and co-Chair of the Global Tourism Resilience & Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC) headquartered at the Mona campus University of the West Indies (UWI) in Jamaica.
GTRCMC is dedicated to conducting policy-relevant research and analysis on destination preparedness, management and recovery due to disruptions and crises that impact tourism.
Edmund Bartlett has also co-edited the book: Tourism Resilience and Recovery for Global Sustainability and Development: Navigating COVID-19 and the Future,’ with GTRCMC Executive Director, Professor Lloyd Waller.
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