Tourism leaders examine post-COVID labor issues

The formation of a global international tourism think tank on employment issues was shared at the Global Tourism Resilience Conference.

The conference is currently taking place in Jamaica at the University of the West Indies’ Regional Headquarters, Mona.
 
Dubbed Project Tourism Employment Expansion Mandate, or Project TEEM, the think tank will review research on the post-Covid employment fallout being experienced in the hospitality industry worldwide. Members of Project TEEM will devise strategies to address the challenge.
 
“Tourism recovery from the COVID-19 fallout has not been linear and our labor market has seen a drastic shift,” said Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism the Hon. Edmund Bartlett, the conceptualizer of Project TEEM.

“Many tourism workers have left for various reasons, and we need to devise a way to get them back because they are the lifeblood of the industry.”

Two other important announcements that emerged from the first day of the conference was news of a Cooperation Agreement between the City of Malaga in Spain and the Caribbean Region, and the United Nations’ (U.N.’s) approval of the annual commemoration of Global Tourism Resilience Day on February 17. The U.N.’s declaration was championed by the Government of Jamaica.
 
Caribbean destinations stand to benefit from the Cooperation Agreement with the City of Malaga in the areas of technology, training, and assistance with the development of the region’s gastronomy product. Malaga is noted for its exceptional use of digital technologies to monitor and manage its tourism product and visitor satisfaction in real time.
 
The conference continues today with a wide range of panel discussions and a keynote address by Jamaica’s former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson. 

The conference will close on Friday, February 17, with the celebration and first observation of Global Tourism Resilience Day.  

To watch the Conference live, click here.

For more information about Jamaica, go to visitjamaica.com.

ABOUT THE JAMAICA TOURIST BOARD

The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), founded in 1955, is Jamaica’s national tourism agency based in the capital city of Kingston. JTB offices are also located in Montego Bay, Miami, Toronto, and London. Representative offices are located in Berlin, Barcelona, Rome, Amsterdam, Mumbai, Tokyo and Paris.  
 
In 2021, the JTB was declared ‘World’s Leading Cruise Destination,’ ‘World’s Leading Family Destination’ and ‘World’s Leading Wedding Destination’ for the second consecutive year by the World Travel Awards, which also named it the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’ for the 14th consecutive year; and the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Destination’ for the 16th consecutive year; as well as the ‘Caribbean’s Best Nature Destination’ and the ‘Caribbean’s Best Adventure Tourism Destination.’ In addition, Jamaica was awarded four gold 2021 Travvy Awards, including ‘Best Destination, Caribbean/Bahamas,’ ‘Best Culinary Destination –Caribbean,’ Best Travel Agent Academy Program,’; as well as a TravelAge West WAVE award for ‘International Tourism Board Providing the Best Travel Advisor Support’ for a record-setting 10th time. In 2020, the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) named Jamaica the 2020 ‘Destination of the Year for Sustainable Tourism’. In 2019, TripAdvisor® ranked Jamaica as the #1 Caribbean Destination and #14 Best Destination in the World. Jamaica is home to some of the world’s best accommodations, attractions and service providers that continue to receive prominent global recognition. 
 
For details on upcoming special events, attractions and accommodations in Jamaica go to the JTB’s Website or call the Jamaica Tourist Board at 1-800-JAMAICA (1-800-526-2422).  Follow the JTB on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube. View the JTB blog.