UNWTO GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON JOBS
AND INCLUSIVE GROWTH
PARTNERSHIPS FOR SUSTAINABLE
Attracting over 1400 delegates from 60 countries, the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
Global Tourism Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnership for Sustainable development was
dubbed the largest conference in Caribbean history. The three day (November 27-29) conference was held
at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James where discussions were had on the best practices to
maintain the tourism product, and was in keeping with the recognition of 2017 as the International Year of
Sustainable Tourism for Development.
With a detailed schedule, sessions were held to facilitate smaller discussions of topics deemed crucial for
reaching targets for sustainable development, particularly as Jamaica strives to make the country the place
of choice to “live, work, raise families and do business” by 2030. Some of the topics included Threats, Risks,
Opportunities and Challenges to tourism and sustainability, Tourism Networks-creating linkages, reducing
leakages and community tourism.
The conference was deemed successful by UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai. According to an article
published in the Jamaica Observer, Mr. Rifai states “The most important part about this meeting is that it is
Caribbean by all means, and it galvanised the pride and the excitement about being Caribbean. It is bring-
ing this region together and showing the world that we can do something big, and they did something big
and they did something very impressive,”
Our Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett was equally satisfied with the event. In the same article he said “I
think we can fairly feel a sense of accomplishment that history was made here during this week in Montego
Bay, The issues were very clear and were intelligently discussed by perhaps the most expert panels that we
could have assembled anywhere at any time”
Check out the highlights from the conference
DAY ONE HIGHLIGHTS
Photos: Welcome and Greeting
Sessions: Tourism linkages, Reducing Leakages
Community Tourism