Minister Bartlett to participate in South Korean Conferences

KINGSTON, Jamaica; May 13, 2018:  Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett leaves the island today to participate in the 9th Asian Leadership Conference (ALC) and the PATA Annual Summit in South Korea.

While there, the Minister is expected to participate in a series of panel discussions on the state of the tourism industry globally. He will also use the opportunity to garner support for the Global Resilience and Crisis Management Centre and Observatory, which will be housed at the University of West Indies, Mona.

The Minister’s first engagement in South Korea is the 9th Asian Leadership Conference (ALC), where he will speak about: Tourism and Sustainable Development and Globalization and Cooperation in Asia Pacific, at two of the sessions on May 16. The invitation was extended by Sang-Hoon Bang, President and CEO of theChosunilbo, the largest newspaper in South Korea and hosts of the ALC.

In the letter of invitation, Mr Bang noted that the Minister was invited because of the significant contributions he has made to the global tourism industry as the world’s leading Tourism Minister.

“You have played a major role in economic growth and the transformation of communities by constructing tourism infrastructure. Under your leadership, you initiated the Tourism Linkages Network which seeks to develop connections between the tourism sector and other productive sectors of the economy,” said Mr Bang.

Since its inauguration in 2005, the ALC has become the most prestigious gathering of global leaders in Asia. Speakers in the past have included former Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon; former President of the United States, President Barack Obama and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, David Cameron.

The Minister will then travel to Gangneung to participate in the PATA Annual Summit (PAS).  He will participate as a panellist at the United Nations World Tourism Organization/PATA Leaders Debate on Saturday, May 19.

Minister Bartlett will share his insights on the current challenges being faced by the travel and tourism industry. He will also use the opportunity to discuss airlift issues and will speak on the Global Centre for Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management as well as meet with representatives from Samsung to discuss possibilities for partnership.           

Minister Bartlett will be accompanied by Dr. Lloyd Waller, Senior Advisor/Consultant and Ms. Anna-Kay Newell, Executive Assistant to the Minister.  The team is expected to return to the island on May 21, 2018.

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For further information contact:

Corporate Communications Division

Ministry of Tourism

64 Knutsford Boulevard

Kingston 5

Tel: 920-4926-30

Fax: 920-4944