GTRCMC Assistance is on the Means for Haiti Tourism Restoration
- Jamaica Minister of Tourism and Co-Founder of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC), Hon Edmund Bartlett, expresses concern over the devastating effects of the recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Haiti.
- On Saturday, August 14, the 7.2 magnitude earthquake severely damaged several cities and buried people in parts of Haiti in the rubble of collapsed buildings.
- At least 724 people died and many more were missing in Haiti. The US and other countries sent search teams to help the Haitian government.
If a 7.2 magnitude earthquake isn’t enough, a potentially deadly tropical storm will now be targeting this Caribbean country.
“I have compassion for our neighboring island Haiti, which is being shaken by the devastation caused by the earthquake. These climatic events increasingly show us that vulnerable countries in the Caribbean need to be better prepared to cope with and mitigate them, ”said Jamaica Minister Bartlett.
Bartlett loves his native Jamaica and his job as the country’s tourism minister. However, he saw the world of tourism from a global perspective. This had put Jamaica at the forefront of tourism worldwide.
Bartlett continued, “That is why the GTRCMC was created to help countries prepare and manage disruptions of all kinds so that they can not only recover, but also recover more strongly.
“As part of the support effort, the GTRCMC will coordinate with regional leaders to discuss the impact of the earthquake and study the impact on Caribbean tourism, given the negative impact it has on life, livelihood and ultimately tourism, Added Minister Bartlett.
Haiti needs more than search teams and goodwill support. Security is a big issue. With rebels running roads to the capital, much-needed aid cannot be effectively distributed. The Haitian government has asked the United States for help on this police matter, but an answer is pending.
Peter Tarlow, world-renowned tourism safety expert and co-chair of the World Tourism Network, said on an eTN News broadcast today, “Safety and tourism safety are key to the success of any travel destination. The World Tourism Network, with our crisis response in place, stands ready to work hand in hand with Minister Bartlett and the GTRCMC to assist Haiti when they are ready. “
More than a Caribbean response to local disasters, the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Center, led by Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Bartlett, is a global initiative in a growing number of tourist destinations.
Haiti, which was hit by another major earthquake in 2010, killing more than 220,000 people, is also preparing for the onslaught of Tropical Storm Grace.
“Just as we have coordinated the short to medium-term containment of the volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the GTRCMC will coordinate with our regional partners on how to proceed,” said the Executive Director of the GTRCMC, Professor Lloyd Waller.
