A LAUNCH reception for Jamaica 60th independence anniversary events was held on Sunday, May 1, at the Hyatt Regency JFK at Resorts World New York. See highlights. social LONDON: J AMAICA’S MINISTER of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, who is also the co-chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre (GTRCMC), recently made London his second stop on a global book tour. The book, titled TourismResilience, Recovery and Sustainability for Global Development: Navigating COVID-19 and the Future, is edited by executive director, GTRCMC, Professor Lloyd Waller, and Bartlett. It was launched in February as part of an international summit on tourism resilience. Written in comfortable vernacular, both for consumer and trade, the book includes case studies, best practices and lessons learned during the pandemic, as well as experiences of different destinations in working towards resilience. INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATIONS Minster Bartlett convened with Jamaica’s High Commissioner to the UK, Seth George Ramocan, and former UNWTO Secretary General TalebRifai, to speak about tourism resilience while he was in the UK to launch Jamaica’s 60th Independence celebrations along with Minister of Entertainment and Culture, Gender and Sport Olivia Grange. At the UK launch – attended by diplomats, academia, industry leaders and media – Minister Bartlett presented a copy of the book to High Commissioner Ramocan. He said: “Resilience planning and preparation are crucial for the future success of nations and communities, and this new academic resource will provide a truly valuable framework for understanding and building the role of tourism resilience, and its value for building global sustainability and faster economic recovery.” GTRCMC board member Lee Miles, professor of crisis/disaster management at Bournemouth University), explained the importance and relevance of the new publication: “The impact of COVID-19 has demonstrated a pressing need to revisit many of the underlying assumptions that we have traditionally made about the durability and strengths of tourism, and to connect debates between tourism and resilience more clearly.” Professor Waller said: “The book includes reviews of activity that countries trialled in the pandemic. For example, Jamaica had the resilience corridors and Las Vegas had resilience bubbles. We did a comparative analysis of those destinations to review the value and impact of different strategies to support future decision-making.” He confirmed the book also features emerging challenges that the tourism space will have to contend with in the future, including cybersecurity and crime, the dark web, and cryptocurrencies. Emerging options is another key area of focus in the book. “We looked at how non-fungible tokens (NFTs) can be used as a mechanism to advertise destinations, especially among millennials and Generation COVID (Gen C),” he said. Tourism Resilience, Recovery and Sustainability for Global Development: Navigating COVID19 and the Future is available for purchase on Amazon, as well as Barnes and Noble. Bartlett launches tourism resilience book in UK JN representatives, from left: Nahomi Hyde Swazey, branch operations supervior, NE, Harry Bhoorasingh, country manager, and Lisa Reynolds, regional sales representative, NE. DERRICK SCOTT From left: Carol Taylor Allen, Jacqueline Lightbody and Sharon Taylor. From left: Professor LloydWaller and tourismminister, Edmund Bartlett present Dr. Gervan Fearon, president of George Brown College with a copy of the book, which was edited by both men. PHOTO BY SOPHIA FINDLAY Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s minister of tourism (second left), presents a copy of his book ‘Tourism Resilience, Recovery and Sustainability’ to High Commissioner Seth George Ramocan, during a recent trip to London. At left is Dr Taleb Rifai, former secretary general, UNWTO and co-chair of the Resilience Council, while at right is Prof Lee Miles, GTRCMC board member and professor of crisis/disaster management at Bournemouth University. CONTRIBUTED Global tour to include NewYork, Washington DC, Dubai Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness (center), is flanked by US senator Charles E. ‘Chuck’ Schumer, D-NY; (right) and newly-appointed US ambassador to Jamaica, N. Nick Perry (left) at the May 1, launch reception in celebration of Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence, held at the Hyatt Regency JFK Airport at Resorts World - New York, Queens. LEONARD MCKENZIE THE WEEKLY GLEANER | MAY 5 - 31, 2022 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | NEWS 8
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