KINGSTON, Jamaica – Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica must leverage its rich cultural heritage through the performing arts to enhance and diversify the tourism product.
Jamaica's Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett wins Gusi Peace Prize He noted that while the island’s natural attractions have been drawing visitors for decades “it is time to recognize the untapped potential lying within the realms of the performing arts”.
“The country has witnessed a global shift in travel preferences to more experiential tourism, which is reshaping the way people explore and engage with destinations. This trend goes beyond traditional sightseeing and has moved to immersive and authentic experiences that connect travellers with local cultures, cuisines, and activities,” Bartlett pointed out.
He said the performing arts sector has a major role to play in both entertainment and culture, and the tourism sector stands to benefit tremendously from the output.
Bartlett’s remarks were delivered recently in the second city of Montego Bay.
He also said that the Bob Marley ‘One Love’ movie is providing a massive international boost for the country’s tourism and film industries.
He said that the film, which premiered in Jamaica on January 23 and later in several major international cities, and that was released worldwide on Wednesday, will provide the lift that the country needs as it pursues new and exciting frontiers for tourism.
“We had Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, as well as many other celebrities at the Jamaica premiere, garnering worldwide attention. We also saw Brad Pitt and [other] celebrities at the Los Angeles premiere… another massive boost for Jamaica and Jamaica’s tourism,” he noted.
“The movie has brought a lot of attention to our country and will inspire people from all over the world… as fans… and as visitors to experience our culture,” Bartlett said.
He said the movie is also giving the island’s film industry a major shot in the arm, telling the story of reggae legend Bob Marley’s life to an international audience.
He said it will show film-makers and screenwriters that Jamaica is a great place to make movies, adding that “we have a beautiful country with a rich culture and history”, and also a talented pool of actors and film-makers.
Bartlett said that he hopes that the success of the movie will lead to more interest in Jamaica by way of film-making, adding that “we want to be a major player” as we have the potential to be a world-class destination for film production.
