World Tourism Resilience & Disaster Administration Centre in Jamaica and Kenya Signal MOU
Jamaica Minister for Tourism and Co-Chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC), Hon. Edmund Bartlett and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Tourism and Wildlife and Chair of GTRCMC – East Africa, Hon ) signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will pave the way for the two centers to work together to develop guidelines and conduct relevant research on destination readiness, management and recreation.
- Minister Bartlett praised the signing of the MOU as “a great leap for policy research”.
- This will allow these two centers to work together in predicting, mitigating and managing risks related to tourism resilience caused by various disruptive factors.
- This is particularly relevant as we move and respond to the challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The signing took place during the Tourism Recreation Summit for African Ministers of Tourism currently being held in Nairobi, Kenya, where Minister Bartlett was invited to speak, in his capacity as a respected global thought leader, on the resilience and recovery of tourism.
Minister Bartlett praised the signing of the MOU as “a great leap for policy research. It will allow these two centers to work together in predicting, mitigating and managing risks related to tourism resilience caused by various disruptive factors. This is really an exciting opportunity. ”The GTRCMC – East Africa at Kenyatta University is a regional satellite center of the international GTRCMC based at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica.
“This is particularly relevant as we are navigating and responding to the challenges posed by the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. We need to be at the forefront of coordinating responses, monitoring and monitoring, and organizing economic relief efforts within and across borders. Cooperations like this are both critical and timely, ”said the minister.
Tourism Minister and Co-Chair of Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC) – Jamaica, Hon.Edmund Bartlett (2nd from right) and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, Department of Tourism and Wildlife and Chair of GTRCMC – East Africa, Hon.Najib Balala ( 2nd from left), shows the MOUs signed between the two centers today (July 16). The Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University, Professor Paul Wainaina (left) and Ms. Anna-Kay Newell, Director of International Relations, GTRCMC – Jamaica, are watching. The GTRCMC – East Africa at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, is the satellite center of the Jamaican GTRCMC at the University of the West Indies, Mona. The letter of intent was signed during the ongoing African Tourism Recovery Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. Minister Bartlett was invited to speak at the summit in his capacity as a respected global thought leader on the resilience and recovery of tourism.
After signing the MOU, the Hon. Najib Balala presented Minister Bartlett with a check for Ksh 10 million (US $ 100,000) to aid the East Africa Center activities.
The MoU will facilitate a strategic partnership on research and development; Political advocacy and communication management; Program / project design and management, as well as training and capacity building, specific to climate change and disaster management; Security and cybersecurity management; entrepreneurial management; and pandemic and epidemic management.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary, Department of Tourism and Wildlife and Chairman of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC) – East Africa, Hon. Najib Balala (2nd from left), presents Hon. Edmund to the Minister of Tourism and Co-Chair of GTRCMC – Jamaica, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (2nd from right) in support of the East Africa Center’s activities. The presentation took place today (July 16) following the signing of a letter of intent between the two centers. The event also attended Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Wainaina (left) and Anna-Kay Newell, Director of International Relations, GTRCMC – Jamaica. The GTRCMC – East Africa at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, is the satellite center of the Jamaican GTRCMC at the University of the West Indies, Mona. The letter of intent was signed during the tourism recovery summit for African tourism ministers in Nairobi. Minister Bartlett was invited to speak at the summit in his capacity as a respected global thought leader on the resilience and recovery of tourism.
This is done through programs or projects such as:
