Minister Bartlett calls on CARICOM to prioritize tourism as the region’s largest economic activity | News
Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, and one of the Caribbean’s most influential voices on global travel and tourism, has issued a bold call to action to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), urging Member States to formally recognize tourism as the region’s largest economic activity and act collectively to protect, develop and future-proof the industry.
In his speech ahead of the launch of Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Antigua and Barbuda, Minister Bartlett noted that while tourism contributes more than 40 percent of GDP in several Caribbean economies and supports the livelihoods of millions of citizens, it is still not a core priority of CARICOM’s strategic agenda. “Tourism is not a secondary consideration – it is the economic backbone of the Caribbean. The time has come for CARICOM to treat it as such, with the urgency, resources and political will that the sector requires,” the minister said.
He underlined that tourism is much more than just hospitality. In the Caribbean, the sector powers aviation, agriculture, creative industries, construction, financial services and small business development. He argued that CARICOM’s integration agenda cannot reach its full potential if it continues to view tourism as a peripheral issue rather than the region’s main economic driver.
“We cannot credibly talk about economic integration while leaving our largest industry alone to face global headwinds,” said Secretary Bartlett. “CARICOM must establish a committed, high-level tourism mandate – with binding obligations, coordinated policies and shared investment frameworks – that reflects the weight the industry carries in each Member State.”
Minister Bartlett outlined a number of critical areas where he believes coordinated CARICOM action is both necessary and overdue, including a regional tourism strategy; Visa and travel facilitation; establishing a resilience fund; Digital transformation and human capital development. Building capacity for the region to take charge of the supply side of tourism is also critical to ensuring less leakage and greater retention of every dollar earned.
“The world’s most important destinations do not succeed on their own,” the minister noted. “Our diversity is our strength – but only if we leverage it together within a CARICOM framework that puts tourism at the top of our collective agenda.”
In reinforcing the importance of a regional tourism mandate, Minister Bartlett affirmed that Jamaica will continue to engage its counterparts across the region in building consensus on an agenda for the integration of Caribbean tourism.
