KEY POINTS
- Honorable Edmund Bartlett received the Global Tourism Resilience Lifetime Achievement Award during a high-profile summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
- The award recognizes Bartlett’s instrumental role in creating international frameworks for crisis preparedness and rapid recovery in the travel sector.
- In his acceptance speech, the Minister identified emerging digital threats like disinformation as the next major challenge for global tourism stability.
Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has reached a significant career milestone after being presented with the Global Tourism Resilience Lifetime Achievement Award. The ceremony took place on February 17, 2026, during the 4th Global Tourism Resilience Day conference held at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. This prestigious accolade honors leaders whose visionary work has permanently altered the landscape of the international travel industry by prioritizing sustainability and disaster readiness.
Bartlett is widely credited with shifting the global conversation toward resilience, transforming it from a niche concern into a core pillar of tourism development. His leadership was particularly vital in the establishment of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Centre, based in Jamaica. This organization serves as a critical resource for nations attempting to navigate and recover from various disruptions, ranging from devastating natural disasters to the unprecedented economic shocks caused by global health crises.
The selection committee highlighted Bartlett’s ability to foster deep international cooperation between government bodies and private sector entities. By championing policy innovation and capacity-building initiatives, he has helped ensure that tourism-dependent economies are better equipped to protect livelihoods during times of instability. His efforts have provided a roadmap for inclusive growth, ensuring that the benefits of travel and leisure reach the local communities that sustain these destinations.
During his acceptance address, Minister Bartlett emphasized that resilience is not a static goal but an ongoing process. He described Global Tourism Resilience Day as a “global drumbeat” that calls the industry to maintain a constant state of readiness. While traditional threats like hurricanes and economic downturns remain a concern, Bartlett turned his focus toward modern challenges. He specifically named digital misinformation and fake news as emerging threats that could derail tourism recovery if not properly addressed through transparent communication and transformation.
The Minister expressed his gratitude to the public and private partners who have supported Jamaica’s resilience-building efforts over the years. He reaffirmed his commitment to developing adaptive frameworks that can respond to the unique pressures of an increasingly interconnected world. As travel continues to serve as a vital economic engine for many developing nations, Bartlett’s work ensures that the sector remains a stable and reliable source of prosperity regardless of future global challenges.
