Positive Tourism News

The World Travel & Tourism Council 2019 Global Summit with the theme of ‘Changemakers’ will take place in Seville, Spain, on 3-4 April and will be hosted by Ayuntamiento of Seville, Turismo Andaluz and Turespaña. This marks the first time that WTTC is extending the invitation to attend the Global Summit to a wider group of senior industry professionals, with the aim of gathering and celebrating the people and ideas who are defining the future of the sector.

The Travel & Tourism leaders will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the departure of the first circumnavigation of the world, which set out from Seville, while shaping the future of our sector.This will be the first Global Summit to which industry professionals and people interested to hear from the leaders will be able to attend by paying a recovery fee. Until now, the Summit has been by invitation only, encompassing WTTC members and travel leaders. 2019 thus marks the first year that a limited number of guests from across the sector will be able to join.

Gloria Guevara, WTTC President & CEO, commented, “The WTTC Global Summit is the principal event where the global public and private leaders of our sector meet. We are happy to be back in Europe and especially in beautiful city of Seville, where we will celebrate the 500 years since the first circumnavigation, while we define and shape the future of our sector and recognize the ideas which will make it happen. Anyone wanting to know what the future of our sector looks like should come to the WTTC Global Summit.”

“At our last summit in Buenos Aires we had more than 1,300 delegates with more than 100 CEOs, the President of Argentina, the Prime Minister of Rwanda, more than 30 ministers or heads of tourism, three former presidents, three United Nations’ Secretaries General (UNWTO, UNFCCC and ICAO) as well as leaders from PATA, IATA, WEF, CLIA, and even one Academy Award winning film director. 2019 provides a new opportunity for industry peers to attend and gain inspiration from our ‘Changemakers’, outlining a future vision of Travel & Tourism with the pioneering individuals and disruptive ideas that will make it happen', the president said.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has hailed the People’s Republic of Russia as a new frontier from which visitors to the Caribbean can be attracted.

Speaking at the welcome reception for the Russian Pegas Fly Airline which made its inaugural trip to Jamaica recently, Mr Bartlett said Jamaica has a great advantage as Russia happens to be the fourth largest market source for visitors to the Dominican Republic, with which Jamaica has established a multi-destination Memorandum of Understanding.  

Pegas Fly will take approximately 5,400 new tourists to Jamaica’s shores up to May 2019 with flights terminating in Jamaica every 10 days. According to Minister Bartlett, this, along with the multi-destination arrangement, will afford Jamaica access to the growing market of Russian millennial travelers whom he says, have a very high purchasing power.

Minister Bartlett was also speaking in light of the recent abolition of visitor visas for certain categories of Russians seeking to travel to the island.  The inaugural Pegas Fly trip had brought the last group of Russians who required visas to enter the Jamaica.   Under the new visa regime, the Government of Jamaica has waived visa requirements for Russian visitors travelling to Jamaica for periods of up to 90 days per year.  

The Coastal Communities Fund has awarded £71,000 to The Lancashire Wildlife Trust to invest in a fresh project to encourage regeneration and nature tourism on the Fylde Coast, from Fleetwood to Lytham.

Project manager and senior marine conservation officer, Emily Baxter said: “You will find a great diversity of wildlife across the coast and you want to inspire visitors to enjoy and protect it.

“You want to use local businesses across the Fylde Coast, and we have been keen to activate with holiday parks particularly. We shall also support community groups to take a dynamic role in championing their coast and offer volunteering opportunities and placements with training such as for example helping with surveys, wildlife watching, and events.”

Trail leaflets will be produced for adults to utilize for self-guided exploration or organised guided walks, and for school and families groups. It really is hoped a mobile interactive display may also be found in community centres to inspire people concerning the Fylde Coast.

 

 Highly anticipated cruise line, Virgin Voyages, by Sir. Richard Branson, will make Havana, Cuba its first port of call. The cruise line will launch in 2020 and will depart from Port Miami with its first ship, The Scarlet Lady.  

“We’re giving sailors the opportunity to discover one of the world’s most desired destinations, Virgin Voyages style,” the company said. Select itineraries on Virgin Voyages in 2020 will include both daytime calls and overnight stays in Havana Harbor, the company said.

Virgin Voyages, which will be an exclusively adults- only cruise line (or as Virgin calls it “adult by design,”) is looking to disrupt the Caribbean cruise industry with provocative design, unorthodox amenities like on-ship tattoo parlors and what seems to be a clear focus on millennial travelers (although not exclusively).

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett departed the island yesterday to participate in the World Travel Market (WTM), in London.

“The world travel market is one of the biggest programmes that the industry has on its calendar. I am very proud to share that I will be joined by a very sizeable delegation from Jamaica next week to participate in the event, which enables contracts to be entered into between hoteliers and suppliers and airlines and destinations and so on,” said the Minister.

The WTM is a major promotional platform for the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).  It will also feature other Jamaican companies, creating the ideal opportunity to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals. Through its industry networks, the WTM also creates personal and business opportunities while also providing customers with quality contacts, content and communities. 

“While at the WTM, we will also engage in tourism diplomacy, which enables the real connectivity between countries that are involved in tourism and partners that are involved in this industry.

The resort town of Oracabessa in St. Mary, will be the venue for the first ever Radical Women's Leadership Retreat which is set for February 9 to 16 next year.

The weeklong event which will be staged at the Golden Clouds Villas, is the brainchild of wellness coach and behaviour change communicator, Madeline Kennedy of Kennedy Coaching.

"This training will allow women to develop and begin a plan of action to achieve success and wellness as they define it, having fun while breaking the cycle of over-doing and dancing with burnout," Kennedy told Positive Tourism.

Kennedy will be partnering with Jamaican transformational author and energy practitioner, Sharon Parris-Chambers to facilitate a workshop on holistic partnering strategies and systems change called the "Woman's Community Think Tank." They will 'lean in' to the emerging future with Jamaican community leaders and retreat participants co-creating this incubator for ideas and synergy based on the evidence-based ‘Theory U’ approach of MIT's Sloan School of Management. Parris-Chambers' most recent book "Living Life as a Sacred Practice" just went for sale on Balboapress.com at https://tinyurl.com/ybaloqs3

ATLANTA – Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade announced the appointment of Dr. Elaine Grant-Bryan as Jamaica’s new Honorary Consul to Atlanta with effect from October 1, 2018.

As Honorary Consul, Dr. Bryan will provide consular services to Jamaicans and persons wishing to visit Jamaica, and to promote the development of social, cultural and commercial relationships between Jamaica and Atlanta.

Dr. Bryan succeeds Mrs. Jewel Scott, who resigned from the position in December 2017.

Dr. Bryan is a former educator in the Atlanta School System and is now a real estate entrepreneur. She is also the founder and chair of The Elaine Bryan Foundation.

The Pan African Federalist Movement (PAFM) Jamaica members are in high gear preparing for travel to Accra, Ghana for the 60^th Anniversary Commemoration of the All-African People’s Conference and the PAFM Pre-Congress that is scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana from Saturday December 8 to Thursday December 13, 2018. The Opening Ceremony of Accra 2018, themed: “Africa Must Unite - A Mission for Our Generation,” will be held on Saturday December 8 at the Bank of Ghana Auditorium, Economics Department, University of Ghana.

This historic event is being organized by the Kwame Nkrumah Pan-African Centre (KNAC) and the Pan-African Federalist Movement (PAFM). Based in Accra Ghana, the KNAC is a research and policy institute with a mandate to promote Nkrumaist thought and to advance Pan-Africanism while PAFM is a global movement mobilizing and coordinating a new and concerted effort to realize the dream of African unity through grassroots action.

The PAFM Jamaica National Initiating Committee invites all who celebrate African unity to join us for a Griotic Cultural Expressions Fundraising Benefit on October 27, 2018 between 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm (Showtime 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm) at the Rastafari Study Centre, UWI Campus, 22 West Road, Kingston, Jamaica. Donation: J$500. Headline acts will be: Informative Historyman, Karamanti, Bunny Hewitt, Mojiba Ase and other performers. The cultural event will present entertainers, drummers, dancers and Pan African speakers celebrating African Unity. Vendors are welcome and delicious meals and snacks will be available for sale.

The All-African People’s Conference was first held in 1958 as a first attempt to bring Africans together on their own soil to deliberate on their total liberation and unity. It was an important occasion for the Pan-Africanist cause. The 60th anniversary commemoration of this historic event therefore marks the reignited  fervour of Pan-Africanism and work towards the realization of the African unity dream.

September, 2018, Rose Hall. Jamaica. The island of Jamaica is ranked 16 of the world’s sought-after vacation spots. It is a place that people come for wellness, healing and rejuvenation. The descriptives of sun, sand and sea are no longer enough to describe our destination. Travelers are seeking to engage with their host countries to learn about how people live and share their culture.

Boomers are living longer and along with Millennials are leading the wellness revolution. They are seeking destinations with vibrant spa offerings, healthy foods and wellness programmes to transform their lives.

In walks Dr Aris Latham and he pushes the proverbial envelope wide open. From his vantage point being well will never be looked at as a challenge, but as Fun. Latham is not going to accept mediocrity when the central life force on the planet is readily available, the SUN.

Dr Aris Latham, Panamanian by birth, is a food scientist, linguist and educator. The 2012 Second Edition of Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America acclaims: ‘...the raw food movement owes much to Dr. Aris Latham, a native of Panama, he is considered to be the father of gourmet ethical raw foods cuisine in America. He debuted his raw food creations in 1979, when he started Sunfired Foods, a live food company in Harlem, New York. In the years since he has trained thousands of raw food chefs and added innumerable recipes to his repertoire.’

The Tourism Enhancement (TEF) has invested approximately $10 million in this year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day initiative, which is spearheaded locally by Jamaica Environment Trust (JET). Speaking at JET’s flagship site at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track on September 15, TEF’s Executive Director Dr. Carey Wallace said, “Tourism relies on our coasts being clean and beautiful. Therefore, we believe this programme is good value for money. We put $8 million into the International Coastal Cleanup Day. After that, we put another $2 million for our Ministry and its agencies to participate. We have been sponsoring for the past 10 years, and have spent approximately $50 million during that period.”

International Coastal Cleanup Day is coordinated globally by the Ocean Conservancy (USA) and locally by JET. TEF has been a major sponsor of the island wide coastal cleanup initiative since 2008. It attracts millions of volunteers in more than 100 countries who clean up beaches and waterways to raise awareness about marine pollution. Last year, Jamaica had 9,675 volunteers at over 147 sites, which was the 12th largest ICC event in the world. This was also the largest ICC day turnout in the English-speaking Caribbean. “As far as our participation in this event from a global perspective, we are doing extremely well. It is very encouraging and heart-warming to see that as Jamaicans, we not only spend the time and energy to clean up our coastlines but we also demonstrate to the world that we are environmentally responsible. Last year it was 93 miles of coast that was cleaned up by the programme, “said Dr. Wallace. The clean-up activities took place days before today’s announcement by the Government of Jamaica to implement a ban on single use plastic bags, plastic straws and Styrofoam effective January 1, 2019.

JET CEO, Suzanne Stanley, welcomed this decision and shared that she is excited about the future outcome. “We are very excited about the announcement for single use plastic. We are looking forward to those strategies being implemented by the government, which on the legislative side, can address some of the problems. But we as Jamaicans also have a responsibility to dispose of our garbage properly,” said Stanley. She went on to share that, “It is very important that we raise awareness amongst our communities, about proper disposal of waste. Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica has been doing this for the past few years and we are really encouraged by the support that we’ve confirmed from the Government of Jamaica [TEF] and the private sector, via Wisynco Group, to continue with the programme for another 3 years.” The Ministry of Tourism’s clean-up activities took place at 15 beaches across the island by 487 volunteers from Destination Assurance Councils, Tourism Action Clubs, as well as members of staff. International Coastal Cleanup is a fraction of the Ministry of Tourism’s partnership with JET through the Tourism Enhancement Fund, to protect the environment. In 2014, the Ministry expanded its commitment with a Clean Coasts Project. To date, TEF has given $146 million, including $25 million in 2018 in funding. The project includes environmental education for adults and children along with practical strategies for tackling poor solid waste management and marine debris in Jamaica.

-30- Photo Captions: LQP_0114 KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 17, 2018: Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) Executive Director, Dr. Carey Wallace (left), joins Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) CEO Suzanne Stanley (second left) and Ministry of Tourism volunteers Sheryll Lewis (second-right) and Lorraine Lewis in International Coastal Clean Up Day activities at JET’s flagship site at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track on September 15. International Coastal Cleanup Day is coordinated globally by the Ocean Conservancy (USA) and locally by JET. TEF has been a major sponsor of the island wide coastal clean-up initiative since 2008. LQP_0137 KINGSTON, Jamaica; September 17, 2018: Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) Executive Director Dr. Carey Wallace (second right) pauses for a photograph with Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) CEO Suzanne Stanley (centre); Executive Director for the Recycling Partners of Jamaica, Winnie Cummings (second left) and Ministry of Tourism volunteers Lorraine Lewis (left) and Sheryll Lewis before disposing of plastic bottles collected during International Coastal Clean Up Day activities at JET’s flagship site at the Palisadoes Go-Kart Track on September 15. The occasion was International Coastal Cleanup Day, which is coordinated globally by the Ocean Conservancy (USA) and locally by JET. The TEF has been a major sponsor of the island wide coastal clean-up initiative since 2008. For further information contact:

Portland, Jamaica, W.I. November 8, 2018. The second staging of Mama Africa Arise & Unite took place on Sunday, August 26, 2018 at the Di Atlantic Entertainment Center in Manchioneal Portland, where the focus was on community development, empowerment and unity.

The music of Uprising Roots Band set the stage for the flow of positive vibrations during the event, which also celebrated the Earthday of Empress Ellisa Issachar.

The following participants are gratefully acknowledged for their support: Di Atlantic Entertainment Center, Paul Thompson (Mayor of Portland), Theo Chambers (Founder, Access Jamaica Network), Paulette Simmonds (Stteppin Out Loud TV), Abrahamic Covenant Family Ministry, Lt. General Imhotep Ashanti (Coordinator, NIC Jamaica, Pan African Federalist Movement -PAFM), 5th House Kreationz, Forever Africa, Kromanti Group, Maurice Lee (Maroon - Moore Town), Gloria Simms (Mama G – Gaamand Chieftainess, Maroon - Charles Town), Hon. Bobo Jason Thompson (PAFM), Garth Barnett (Marcus Garvey People’s Political Party), Mama Fire, Constantine Bogle (Bogle Foundation), Ras Nik Graphics, and Sharon Parris-Chambers (Caribnewsroom & Living Life as a Sacred Practice).

Mama Africa Arise & Unite Main Event, slated for October 28, 2018, is the culmination of the series of community development drives. It promises to be a memorable affair with select entertainers to thrill, speakers to motivate, workshops to capture the imagination and ignite within, a passion for self-reliance, community development and African unity.

Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (right) joins Spanish ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Josep Maria Bosch Bessa and his colleague, Deputy Head of Mission, Victoria García Ojeda for a photograph, during a courtesy call to the Minister’s New Kingston office on August 14, 2018. During the discussions, the Minister extended an invitation to the Spanish Ambassador and his team to attend the Tourism Resilience Summit, being hosted by Jamaica on September 13. The event, which will take place at the University of the West Indies, Mona, will address events that disrupt tourism, such as climate change, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism and cybercrime. The Minister also used the opportunity to update the Ambassador on progress being made to establish the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, which will have its official launch next January.

August 8, 2018, Portland, Jamaica, W.I. Following on the heels of the successful launch on July 15, 2018 at the breathtaking Di Atlantic Entertainment Center, located in the beautiful parish of Manchioneal Portland, Mama Africa Arise & Unite is set to bring a life-changing aura and message to patrons once again. On August 26, 2018 the community is invited to gather in their numbers at the same venue for a day of celebration, culture, entertainment and fun.  The event represents the first Parish Cultural Debut, Community Building Development project that will benefit women and youth both in Jamaica.

Mama Africa Arise & Unite was founded by Ellisa Issachar, Managing Director of D.A.E.C, Spokesperson and musician from the Abrahamic Covenant Family Ministry. She is joined by Mojiba Ase', founder of Forever Africa, Spoken Word Artist, General Manager of Mama Africa Arise & Unite, daughter of the Legendary Count Ossie a RasTafarian Cultural and Musical Icon.

Over the years, the Abrahamic Covenant Family Ministry founded by Bishop Denroy Morgan, has stood firm for African unification in Jamaica and is pleased to be aligned with Mama Africa Arise & Unite to support its spiritual values and commitment to the Community. The theme, Who Am I? Will be leading the main workshop and promises to open up the minds and hearts of participants and humanity in general.

Our growing Sponsorship Team consists of: Abrahamic Covenant Family Ministry, Di'Atlantic Entertainment Center, Forever Africa, Stteppin Out Loud T.V., Access Jamaica, Living Life as a Sacred Practice, RNG - Ras Nik Graphics, Pan African Federalist Movement N.I.C. Jamaica, Kromantic Group and Carib Newsroom.

August 6, 2018. The International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT) International Year of Community Tourism and Peace, initiated in collaboration with Countrystyle Villages as Businesses, will end with a celebration at the IIPT International Community Tourism Conference at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Visitors’ Lodge in Kingston, Jamaica from November 12 – 15, 2018.

The Conference is in collaboration with Countrystyle Villages as Businesses, the UWI Open Campus, the Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Livelihoods, Making Connections Work Ltd UK/Diaspora Connect 2022, the YES Foundation, the National Best Communities Foundation and the UWI Tourism

Society. It will feature community tourism case studies from Jamaica, the Caribbean region and Africa and honour outstanding community tourism entities and persons at a Community Tourism Awards luncheon. The theme of the conference is “Building communities as businesses.”

Keynote Speaker will be the Hon. Audley Shaw, Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, who will share his support for the community development programme offered by Countrystyle Villages as Businesses and the Academy of Community Tourism in partnership with the UWI Open Campus. The programme’s guidance and training in hospitality, entrepreneurship and other skills enable villages and individuals to benefit from the diverse opportunities generated trhrough community tourism. Some of the special guests/presenters will include Mrs. Diana McIntyre–Pike, President/Founder of the Countrystyle Villages as Businesses, President of the IIPT Caribbean and Coordinator of the IIPT International Community Tourism Network; Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of the UWI Open Campus, Dr. Luz Longsworth; Dr. Louis D’Amore, Founder/President of the IIPT; Alison Kenning Massa, Vice-President Countrystyle Villages as Businesses; Dr. Marcia Brandon, CEO Caribbean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Livelihoods; Dr. Carolyn Hayle, UWI Mona; Melanie Taylor, President UWI Tourism Society; Gillian Rowlands, Vice President IIPT Caribbean; Valerie Dixon, Vice President Countrystyle Villages as Businesses; Mark Pike, General Manager, ATL Automotive Car Rentals; Jacqueline daCosta, Chairman National Best Communities Foundation; Paulette Jones, Project Director, Diaspora Connect 2022; Rev. Solomon Mruka, President/Coordinator, Africa Community Tourism Network; Barbados Community Tourism Network delegation; Lopinot, Trinidad and Tobago, delegation; Arlene McKenzie, Rastafari Indigenous Village St. James; Alexander Pike, General Manager R Hotel; James Samuels,Chairman, Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) Marketing Committee Kingston and the Tourism Product Development Co Linkages Hub; Valerie Veira, Executive Director, Jamaica Business Development Centre (JBDC); Theo Chambers, Founder & CEO Access Jamaica.com & Caribbean VIP Discount Club; Sharon Parris-Chambers Public Relations Consultant/Publisher Caribnewsroom.com; and Dr. Kadamawe K’Nife, Lecturer UWI and Patron, Community Tourism Trust Fund (COMTRUST).

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica; July 27, 2018: Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett has announced that Jamaica will host a resilience summit with key global stakeholders and thought leaders on September 13 at the University of the West Indies, Mona. The date was selected to commemorate hurricanes Irma and Maria, two of the most devastating weather systems to have affected the region.

“This summit forms part of my ministry’s efforts to build resilience within the region and globally. Resilience building has become even more crucial in a world that is hyper connected and as such more susceptible to climate change, epidemics and pandemics, terrorism and cybercrime,” Minister Bartlett said.

The resilience summit, to be held under the theme ‘Tourism Resilience through Global Synergies’, will seek to assess existing and emerging disruptions related to tourism management globally;  examine the risk of these disruptions to the global tourism product; and identify a synergetic strategic and operational framework for mutual partnerships between and among major governmental, non-governmental and business entities to address as well as develop mitigation strategies for these global disruptions.

Speaking today at the press conference in Montego Bay to announce the summit, Minister Bartlett added that this is “A precursor to the official launch of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre in January next year and this centre will be the global hub to assist destination preparedness, management and recovery from disruptions and/or crises that affect tourism and threaten economies and livelihoods globally.”

PORT MARIA, St Mary, Jamaica, Thursday, July 26, 2018:  Tourism Minister, Hon Edmund Bartlett has underscored that “our culture and heritage are the bedrock upon which Jamaica’s tourism has been built” and must be preserved.

Describing it, he said “it is rich, vibrant, multi-cultural and born out of a dynamic and tumultuous history that has influenced our music, our food, our visual and performing arts, even our native tongue.”

It was in that context that Minister Bartlett welcomed Rio Nuevo Village in St Mary expanding its attractions to include rafting and kayaking. “This landmark north coast attraction is evidence of Jamaica’s rich culture,” said Mr. Bartlett, adding that 30 acres was a historic site once home to one of the biggest Taino settlements in the parish. As a multi-dimensional attraction it offers a museum with one of the most comprehensive collections of Taino artefacts in Jamaica.

Rio Nuevo was also the site on which the British and Spanish armies fought in a battle that resulted in Jamaica becoming an English colony.

July 25, 2018. Portland, Jamaica, W.I. Di' Atlantic Entertainment Center on July 15, 2018 in Manchioneal, Portland was ablaze with powerful energies, an actual wood fire, a symbol, on the stage throughout the official launch of Mama Africa Arise & Unite. Surrounded by the sea's serene presence, the mission took flight, amidst a spirited, informative and successful staging, the words, "Unity is Strength and One Perfect Love! were extolled.

The gathering exuded a feeling of love and oneness as the theme alludes.  The event was hosted by the vibrant, refreshing energies of Ellisa Issachar, Founder and Mojiba Ase, General Manager, who both expressed gratitude and contentment for the manifestation of Mama Africa Arise & Unite.

Presentations were delivered by the following distinguished guest speakers: Mrs. Valerie Dixon (Lady President-UNIA), Maurice Lee (Maroon- Moore Town), Jackie Roots (Ethiopian Orthodox House), Colonel Marcia Douglas (Maroon), Gloria Simms (Mama G - Gaamand Chieftainess, Maroon- Charles Town),
Hon. Prophet  Bobo Jason Thompson (Pan African Federalist Movement -PAFM) Mr. X- O.U.R.S (Ours United Resource Services) and Garth Barnett (Marcus Garvey People's Political Party).

Mama Africa Arise & Unite workshop series continues August 26, 2018 at the
Di’ Atlantic Entertainment Center in Manchioneal, Portland with the next staging entitled “Who Am I?  Rides and book give-aways will be provided for the youths. Live performances, open mic and booth rental are available at an affordable rate.

The management team will implement the plan of action within the indigenous communities in accordance with the aims and objectives: To empower and educate dis-advantaged communities with a special focus on youth and women. To experience African cultural expressions, performing arts, through various Indigenous groups and artistès and facilitate a Community and School Building Development Project for all schools in the parish of St. Thomas and Portland.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Thursday, July 19, 2018: In recognition of the tremendous success of the Jamaica Tourism Centre of Innovation (JCTI) and the significant role of Minister of Tourism, Hon Edmund Bartlett in its establishment, he has been invited by the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) to give the keynote address at its 54th Annual General meeting.

Minister Bartlett who is the first Caribbean minister to be invited to speak at the SLHTA’s annual general meeting, left the island yesterday for St Lucia and will speak tomorrow, July 20. He returns to Jamaica on Sunday July 22.

In extending the invitation to Minister Bartlett, the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA) noted that along with member hotels, they have placed significant importance on increased training and educational opportunities for hospitality staff to keep them fired up and motivated. 

The AGM will be held under the theme: “People, Passion, Purpose and Linkages; The Pathway to a Resilient Future” which the SLHTA says, speaks to the new and exciting developments and issues being currently debated in the global tourismindustry.

Jul 4, 2018. Portland, Jamaica, W.I. Ellisa Issachar, founder of Mama Africa Arise & Unite, Spokesperson and musician from the Abrahamic Covenant Family Ministry and Mojiba Ase, founder of Forever Africa, Spoken Word Artist, daughter of the Legendary Count Ossie will host Mama Africa Arise & Unite launch. July 15th marks the premier staging of Mama Africa Arise & Unite in 2018, with a series of similar events to follow, culminating in the main event October 28, 2018.  The exquisite Sankofa-DJ Iset will provide the music selection.

The Abrahamic Covenant Family Ministry was founded by Ambassador Bishop Ras Denroy Morgan and former manager/producer of Morgan Heritage, The Dreds, LMS, Black Eagles; he is also the current manager and producer of The New Black Eagles, Laza Morgan and Asaph Drummers.

Di Atlantic Entertainment Center is a family-oriented complex where the splendid sea breeze, glorious scenery and breath-taking mountain views intertwines. Located in the beautiful parish of Manchioneal, Portland, Jamaica. The vision is to empower and educate dis-advantage communities with a special focus on youth and women. The mission is to experience African Cultural Expressions through Indigenous groups, artistes and School Building Development Project for all schools in the parish of St. Thomas and Portland. The Long-term objective is to unite Africans so as to Rise in Liberation, Self-Reliance, Peace, Truth and Love.

Contact:

Mandeville, Jamaica, W.I. (December 4, 2017) Louis D’Amore, Founder/President of the International Institute for Peace through Tourism (IIPT), has designated 2018 the IIPT International Year Of Community Tourism And Peace in collaboration with Countrystyle/Villages As Businesses.

In 1994, the IIPT branded Jamaica The Home of Community Tourism in recognition of the two pioneers of the community tourism brand and programmes in 1978 in Mandeville Jamaica, Diana McIntyre-Pike, Founder/President, Countrystyle Community Tourism Network and her late business partner Desmond Henry from Treasure Beach, Jamaica. 

In 2013, on the recommendation of the IIPT Caribbean Chapter, the IIPT welcomed the Caribbean Region to join as partners. The Caribbean was then also branded "Home of Community Tourism." The IIPT International Year Of Community Tourism And Peace will mark the 40th Anniversary of Community Tourism, which Countrystyle/Villages as Businesses began in Jamaica and is now an international movement. Celebrations in Jamaica will begin on January 1with a Gospel Concert in Apple Valley Park, Maggotty, St Elizabeth, and will continue at the 15th Annual Resource UNIA-ACL Marcus Garvey Fair in Cross Keys, Manchester on February 25. The 2018 IIPT International Year Of Community Tourism And Peace will also commemorate IIPT’s 30th Anniversary Year. 

In August 2018, the IIPT will hold its Global Summit in Montreal, Canada on the theme “Sustainable Tourism for Development and Peace.” The Summit will bring together delegates from some 50 countries and feature success stories’ and models of best practice from different regions of the world. The IIPT International Year of Community Tourism and Peace will build towards the first Villages as Businesses Conference and Trade Show, to be held in Jamaica in December 2018. This first of its kind event will be hosted by IIPT Caribbean in partnership with the IIPT International Community Tourism Network, UWI Open Campus and other local and international organizations.