Jamaica’s tourism minister receives World Travel award

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (2nd left) receives the award of World’s Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Travel from World Travel Awards President and Founder, Graham Cooke (2nd right). Minister without portfolio in theJamaica's Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Dr Horace Chang (right)
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett (2nd left) receives the award of World’s Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Travel from World Travel Awards President and Founder, Graham Cooke (2nd right). Minister without portfolio in theJamaica’s Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Dr Horace Chang (right)

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has been awarded the World’s Leading Personality for Outstanding Services to Travel, at the 23rd Annual World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final held in the Maldives, Southern Asia on Friday.

Jamaica and local tourism partners also copped several prestigious awards at the event.

“I am very pleased to receive this award. It is truly humbling to be recognized in this manner at such a major event attended by many of the world’s leading travel and tourism stalwarts,” Bartlett said in a statement.

The award, said to be the most prestigious honour in the travel industry each year, is presented to an individual who has made a monumental contribution to the travel and tourism industry. The recipient also had to make a positive, defining impact on the industry, not only over the last 12 months, but over the course of a lifetime, the WTA said.

WTA President, Graham Cooke said that their academy met to review suitable candidates and Bartlett’s name unanimously came to the fore.

“We are deeply privileged to be able to formally honour and recognize such a pioneering and inspirational man and to present to the global industry an exemplary torch bearer of undisputed industry excellence and a power of good to the world of travel,” said Cooke.

Jamaica emerged the world’s leading cruise destination as well as the world’s leading wedding destination.

Among the awards received by several of Jamaica’s resorts and travel partners were the World’s Leading All-Inclusive Company (Sandals Resorts International), World’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort Brand (Beaches Resorts), World’s Leading Caribbean Attraction Company (Island Routes Caribbean Adventures), World’s Leading Luxury Hotel Villa (Ian Fleming Villa at GoldenEye), World’s Leading New Island Resort (Meliá Braco Village) and World’s Leading Villa Resort (Round Hill Hotel & Villas)

Minister Bartlett lauded the destination and local tourism entities on winning several awards.

“I am very pleased that destination Jamaica and our local tourism partners continue to be world beaters on the international stage. Their performance has played a significant role in fueling the growth that we are seeing in our sector,” he said.