Over 40 tourism stakeholders recognised as TPDCo celebrates 30th anniversary

MANCHESTER, Jamaica – Scores of tourism stakeholders were on Thursday recognised for their contribution to the local industry during the Tourism Product Development Company Limited’s (TPDCo) 30th Anniversary Stakeholder Awards Ceremony at The Garden Hotel in Mandeville. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Jennifer Griffith in reading a speech from Minister Edmund Bartlett said the strength of Jamaica’s tourism industry extends far beyond hotels, attractions and physical infrastructure. “The real infrastructure of tourism is not concrete, it is cooperation. The strongest asset in Jamaican tourism is not a building. It is trust. The greatest resource we possess is not our beaches, it is our people. And the most important investment we can make is in relationships,” the speech read in part. The ceremony formed part of TPDCo’s 30th anniversary celebrations and recognised more than 40 stakeholder organisations for the partnerships and contributions that have helped to develop and strengthen Jamaica’s tourism product. The event was designed both to reflect on TPDCo’s journey since its establishment in 1996 and to thank partners who have supported sustainable tourism development across Jamaica. Bartlett said that tourism is too broad and interconnected to be developed by any single government ministry, agency or sector. “The Ministry of Tourism may set the vision. Our agencies may coordinate the programmes, but tourism is far too big and far too important to be built by one ministry, one agency, or one sector alone. Tourism succeeds only when everybody shows up,” the permanent secretary said in delivering the minister’s remarks. He noted that every stakeholder involved in areas ranging from environmental protection and heritage preservation to safety, transportation, public health, community empowerment, training and communications contributes directly or indirectly to the quality of Jamaica’s visitor experience. According to the minister, these partnerships will become even more critical as Jamaica advances into Tourism 3.0, which places greater emphasis on who benefits from tourism, inclusive growth, sustainability, destination resilience, technology, culture, creativity and innovation. The framework also focuses on creating value not only for visitors, but for Jamaicans. “Tourism 3.0 demands collaboration on a scale we have never seen before,” the permanent secretary said, quoting the minister’s prepared remarks. Among the stakeholder organisations identified for recognition were the Jamaica Tourist Board, Ministry of Tourism, Tourism Enhancement Fund, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Information Service, Jamaica National Heritage Trust, National Environment and Planning Agency, National Works Agency, Port Authority of Jamaica, Jamaica Vacations Limited and several municipal corporations, along with organisations spanning transportation, environmental management, heritage, community development, emergency services and other areas.