Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has positioned health, research, and tourism at the center of national development, as he addressed the launch of a new medical research fund at the University of the West Indiesreinforcing Jamaica’s global leadership in tourism resilience.
Bartlett Champions New Era at UWI Mona Research Fund Launch
KINGSTON, Jamaica — April 28, 2026 — Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett, has called for a historic alignment between health, science, and tourism as he delivered a sweeping address at the launch of the Faculty of Medical Sciences Research Fund at University of the West Indies, Mona campus.
Framing the initiative as “not only the launch of a fund, but the launch of a possibility,” Bartlett positioned the moment as a turning point in how Jamaica integrates medical research into national development and global competitiveness.
A New Development Model: Tourism Meets Health Resilience
In a speech that blended politics, economics, and global strategy, Bartlett introduced the concept of “tourism health resilience” — a framework that links visitor confidence directly to the strength of national health systems.
“Tourism is not merely about movement,” Bartlett stated. “It is about confidence… and confidence depends on trust.”
He argued that destinations are now judged not just by beauty, but by their ability to anticipate, manage, and recover from health-related disruptionsranging from pandemics to misinformation crises.
The newly launched research fund, he said, will play a pivotal role in:
- Strengthening public health systems in tourism zones
- Supporting research into worker wellness and mental health
- Enhancing food safety, sanitation, and emergency response
- Building climate-health preparedness
- Integrating artificial intelligence into health surveillance and crisis management
The “Local First” Policy: Keeping Tourism Value at Home
A central pillar of Bartlett’s address was his “Local First” policy — a strategy aimed at ensuring Jamaica retains more value from its tourism industry.
He emphasizes that resilience must also be localized:
“Local First must mean Local First in resilience, Local First in health security, Local First in research, and Local First in innovation.”
This approach calls for Jamaican institutions — including universities and hospitals — to become active suppliers of solutions to the tourism sector, rather than passive beneficiaries.
UWI Mona: A Global Hub for Tourism Resilience
Bartlett’s vision is deeply rooted in the global influence of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center (GTRCMC), headquartered at UWI Mona.
Founded by Bartlett in 2018, the center has transformed Jamaica into a global leader in tourism crisis preparednesswith impact spanning more than 60 countries.
Its achievements include:
- Developing COVID-era “Resilient Corridor” protocolswhich enabled Jamaica’s tourism sector to recover 120% of pre-pandemic earnings by 2022
- Establishing a global research and training hub for crisis management
- Expanding operations to satellite centers in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East
- Hosting annual global resilience conferences, including recent high-level forums in Nairobi
The university’s role in hosting the GTRCMC has elevated its global academic standing, positioning it as a thought leaders in tourism resilience studies and interdisciplinary research.
Bartlett’s Global Legacy: From Jamaica to the United Nations
Bartlett’s influence extends far beyond Jamaica. Widely regarded as the architect of modern tourism resilience policy, he successfully led the campaign that resulted in the United Nations declaration February 17 as Global Tourism Resilience Day in 2023.
The resolution — co-sponsored by 94 countries — marked a major shift in global tourism policy, emphasizing preparedness, recovery, and sustainability.
Key milestones in Bartlett’s international impact include:
- Drafting and presenting the UN establishing resolution Global Tourism Resilience Day
- Spearheading the declaration of 2027 as the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism
- Leading global resilience conferences and policy frameworks adopted across continents
- Advancing the concept of multi-destination tourismnow recognized as a best practice
UN tourism leadership has credited the initiative as overwhelmingly Bartlett’s, underscoring Jamaica’s outsized influence on global policy.
Jamaica’s Rising Global Standing
Through Bartlett’s leadership, Jamaica has transitioned from a tourism-dependent island to a policy innovator shaping global tourism governance.
Today, the country is recognized for:
- Pioneering resilience frameworks adopted worldwide
- Integrating culture, economics, and crisis management into tourism strategy
- Creating institutional models — like GTRCMC — that serve as global benchmarks
- Leading small island states in international negotiations on tourism, climate, and development
This transformation has positioned Jamaica as a soft power leaderleveraging intellectual capital and innovation rather than size or resources.
Medicine at the Center of the Tourism Product
Returning to the purpose of the day, Bartlett stressed that health is no longer peripheral to tourism — it is central to it.
He called on the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the University Hospital of the West Indies to take on expanded roles:
- Acting as pillars of national health security
- Supporting tourism worker wellness programs
- Leading research that directly informs policy and industry practice
- Providing trusted communication during crises
“Health is part of the tourism product itself,” he declared.
The Future: AI, Ethics, and Resilience
Looking ahead, Bartlett highlighted the role of emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, in strengthening resilience systems.
He described a future where AI can:
- Detect early warning signs of health threats
- Monitor misinformation that could damage destination reputation
- Coordinate rapid responses across sectors
However, he warned that technology must be guided by ethics and human oversight to maintain public trust.
Read the full address by the Hon. Edmund Bartlett on the next page
