Minister of Tourism, the Hon. Josephine Connolly attended the Global Resilience Conference and Launch of Global Tourism Day held at the UWI Regional Headquarters Kingston, Jamaica on February 15 – 17.
The minister’s attendance was to examine important tourism related issues and explore the many aspects of tourism resilience.
The focus was on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for greater global collaboration. During the three-day conference, Minister Connolly facilitated engagements with International and regional tourism leaders.
The Tourism leaders explored a wide range of issues including seizing investment opportunities by leveraging off resilience and sustainability, building capacity for tourism resilience, the future of tourism, crisis communication and the role of public private partnership in building tourism resilience.
Through interactive discussions, presentations and panel discussions, the conference provided practical solutions and strategies for enhancing the resilience of the global tourism industry and ensuring its continued success and sustainability.
Leaders explored how the pandemic has brought the topic of “Tourism Resilience” to the forefront of discussions regarding the future and sustainability of the international tourism industry.
Despite its historical resilience, the travel and tourism industries are vulnerable to disruptive events such as natural disasters, climate change, economic recessions and epidemics. Therefore, international and regional Leaders must work together to build “Global Resilience”
Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, presented the keynote address and alluded to the importance of building Global Tourism Resilience through various forums.
The Prime Minister also alluded to the historical resilience of the industry, noting that one key aspect of building resilience in the tourism industry is the use of digital technology. He added that it is important to understand how technology can be used to enhance resilience in the face of disruptive events.
Commenting on the visit, Hon. Connolly said: "I am excited to attend this Global Conference as it offers many opportunities for the Turks and Caicos to collaborate with regional and international leaders in advancing my Government’s mandate and our country's prosperity.
“We must be cognizant of the importance of tourism resilience to the global tourism industry and it is imperative that we understand the various components of the complex industry. This conference provided insights and effective solutions, enabling us to secure a brighter future for the Tourism Industry.”
Minister Connolly was accompanied by Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Ronlee James.